The Royal House of Madre
by Star Fata
Summary: Ashley Hammond remembers her pre turbo days.PRiS. Better than summary, which no longer makes sense.
1. Remembering, not brooding

**A/N This story has been in my head for a while, so I'm pitching it on this website. This is the weirdest past ever given to a ranger of earth, so you have been warned. I won't be able to update for a while, I need to finish two others, that way I only have two to update! **_When it's like this it is a flashback!_

The megaship was quiet for once. TJ wasn't joking about with Carlos, Cassie didn't have her boom box on, and Andros wasn't prowling the corridors.

Only Ashley was awake, gazing out into the dark emptiness of space as she thought of her life before she became a power ranger. She never moved, and her facial expression never changed. Her eyes were dark and pensive, and if her teammates had seen her, one of them would have noticed the slight resemblance to Andros when he was brooding.

Ashley wasn't brooding. She was remembering.

Her father had been a rich man. Not as rich as her mother's family, but rich all the same. Millionaires, not billionaires like her Grandma, who was constantly trying to get Ashley married off before someone became attracted to her money.

She was thinking about who had witnessed his murder, herself, her elder brother Jeff, and their cousin, Emma. Things had changed for them after that. They had never been close, but now their naiveté had been ripped from them in such a way, they were inseparable. They hadn't quite gotten around to telling anyone they has seen him die, but they wished they had. Especially when her mother had started dating his killer.

"_Kids!" Her mother shouted up the stairs. "I've got someone for you to meet!"_

_The three children came running down the stairs, as Emma's parents were on a six-month business trip._

_Ashley wore knee high yellow socks, a purple skirt and a yellow jumper. Her hair was light brown, and barely covered her ears._

_Jeff was wearing black jeans, and a red T-shirt, and his feet were bare. His hair was a darker brown than Ashley's, and his eyes were hazel. He looked quite solemn at all times, unless he smiled or laughed, in which case the entire room would light up._

_Emma took after her mother, and had dark skin and eyes. Her shoulder length hair was black, and in a half ponytail. She had dimples when she smiled, which was often. She was more reserved than her cousins, but when she had an idea, it was a great one, and the adults in the house had better beware. She was wearing fluffy, light green slippers, dark green shorts, and a black T-shirt, with grass green lining._

_They raced down the stairs, only to stop in horror as they spotted the person at the bottom._

_He had piercing blue eyes, and black hair. His nose was slightly crooked, and he smiled at them. He wore a navy suit, rather than the black one they had last seen him in._

_It was the man who had killed Elvin Hammond._

"_Kids, this is my boyfriend." Mrs Hammond smiled. " Garry Davies."_

_The three children stared at him for several long moments._

_Ashley managed to snap out of her horror-induced haze. "Mother, does this mean you don't love Papa anymore?" She asked, deliberately choosing the word mother as a way to distance herself from her mom. "Or that you're trying to forget he ever existed?" Ashley said, angrily. "It's only been three months and you're already trying to replace him!"_

_Her mother's eyes flashed angrily, and she slapped her daughter._

_Ashley went sprawling. She looked up from the floor and glared at her mother, who was staring at her hand like she had never seen it before._

_Jeff and Emma raced to her side and helped her up, all the while keeping a wary eye on the adults._

_Emma stared at her aunt coldly. "I guess that answers the question." She spat._

_Jeff completed her unfinished sentence. "You don't care. About us, or Papa."_

_Then, all three raced away, choosing to hide in the attic._

"_What will we do Jeff?" Ashley asked her brother. "I don't think we can stop them. Nobody believes kids like us."_

_Jeff hung his head, sneezing as he breathed in some dust. "We have to try. Emma, any ideas?"_

_Emma's dark eyes shone in the dark. "That man murdered the brother of my father, but he will not get your fortune. It's the only thing he can be after, because why else would he be dating your mother?"_

_Ashley spoke quietly. "Is it all right if we don't call her that?" She pleaded. "Can we just call her Mara instead?"_

"_Sure." Jeff said, reaching out to stoke his sister's hair._

_Emma laid out her plan. "How far do you think he will go to get what he wants? In my opinion, he would have to marry Mara to get anything of the fortune. But if she is under stress, she is less likely to have time for romance. So, let's be very, very naughty! If we know something is wrong, we do it! Hold the staff hostage in the kitchen, trash rooms, pull practical jokes, try make the staff quit, anything!"_

"_This is going to be fun." Ashley smiled, evilly._

Jeff nodded. "We need codenames, so we can talk to each other by walkie talkie. You know, to tell each other when to kick off the next bit of a plan." He mused.

_Emma put her hand out, palm facing the floor. "Eclipse is my name, trouble's my game!" She grinned._

"_Phantom, that's my name, don't wear it out." Jeff joked, putting his hand on top of hers._

_Ashley thought for a moment. "My name is Star, learn it, memorise it, fear it." She said finally, adding her hand to the pile._

"_Together, we unite for a common goal." Emma said, solemnly._

"_Together, we fight for good." Jeff added._

_Ashley finished. "Together, we are the Rogue Rangers!"_

_At that, they threw up their hands. "Rangers forever!"_

They never knew why they had chosen those names, or why they had said all that stuff about what they were together. Not until years later.

Ashley sighed, moving for the first time since she had sat down. A wry smile crept onto her face as she remembered the day that they had realised their job had gotten a lot harder.

_By the four-month anniversary of Elvin's death, four head chef's, six maids, seven housekeepers and twelve nannies had quit. They had not even tried to get the butler to quit, because they liked him too much._

_They had held the staff hostage four times, in exchange for sweets, and they had destroyed the dining room, the ballroom, and the sitting room. They were wicked._

_Now, they were about to go on yet another mission, and were in their base of operations, the nice, clean attic. Their first mission had been to make it that way._

_Emma stood in front of a children's art canvas. It was the type with paper, so she could make the plans in advance, and then explain it to her cousins quickly._

"_All right, Rogue rangers." She began, sounding like an army commander. " This is a highly dangerous, and risky mission we are about to undertake. We may be grounded, sent to another therapy session, or given chicken broth soup for tea. Are you willing to take those risks?"_

_Jeff nodded. "Yes Eclipse. I, Phantom, am willing to take the stated risks. I swear on the sword dad gave me last Christmas."_

_Ashley grinned and saluted. "Yes Eclipse. I am Star, and I am willing to take the above risks. I swear on the doll dad gave me last Christmas."_

_Emma grinned and took her turn. "Yes. My name is Eclipse, and I am willing to take these risks. I swear on the bow and arrow Uncle Elvin gave me last Christmas."_

_With that, Emma took the arrow (it was made of plastic) and tapped the canvas with it._

_"All right. Our mission objective is to conquer the kitchen. Star, I'm afraid Stripes has to sit this one out, as you will be taking the air vents. Phantom, you will have to hide in the butler's pantry. You will be in charge of this one. I'm the distraction." Emma started, her eyes glittering as she explained her plan._

_ASHLEY'S POV_

_Several hours later, Ashley said goodbye to Stripes (the doll), and opened an air vent. She slid down so she was on the first floor, and took a piece of paper out of her shoulder bag, which also held her Walkie Talkie and some of the stuff she would need for the mission._

_The paper was an official map of the ventilation system that a repairman had left behind. On it, in yellow crayon, was the route Ashley needed to take._

_Crawling on her stomach, she reached the vent to the airing cupboard. Ashley slipped in there to change her dirty play clothes for torn jeans, pirate boots, and a yellow and purple striped shirt. She tied a tie-dye purple and yellow headscarf around her head, and put on an eye-patch._

_Then she slipped into the vents again, crawled to the kitchen and waited in the vent._

_She activated her Walkie Talkie. "Star to Phantom, phase one, air vent is complete."_

_"Phantom to Star, transmission received."_

_There was a faint hissing as he switched frequencies. The Walkie Talkies had four settings. Talk to everybody, talk to one person, talk to the other person, and off._

_Shortly after, Emma began screaming in another part of the building._

_EMMA'S POV_

_Emma went to the playroom, and put three pirate dolls in position in the kitchen, of a model of the mansion. It had been made at her father's request, seeing as she was a little bit of a control freak. He felt that she should tone it down to dolls. She then changed into a vivid green waistcoat, which was on top of a light green and black striped T-Shirt/dress. She also put on pirate boots, and an army commando hat that had the Jolly Roger spray-painted on the front of it._

_Soon, her Walkie Talkie went off._

_"Eclipse here." She answered._

_"Eclipse, Phantom here. Star is in position, phase one complete. Status report." Jeff said._

_"In uniform and in position Phantom. Beginning phase two now."_

_She hung up on her cousin and calmly walked over to her uncle's study. She walked inside and sat down._

_She began to scream._

_JEFF'S POV_

_Jeff had walked into the butler's pantry while everyone had been in the servant's living room. He knew it wouldn't last long, so he had hurried into the pantry. It was more of a small storeroom than anything else, so there was little chance of anyone finding him, especially as he was hidden under the table, which had a tablecloth over it._

_He waited patiently for his sister to call, changing into a pair of filthy dungarees, which he wore over his red top. He put on a Captain Hook style hat, complete with feather, and drew a scar onto his cheek with lip liner._

_When she did, he called his cousin to initiate phase two._

_When everyone left the kitchen to go see what was wrong with Emma, he left the pantry, only to see his sister dropping out of the air vent silently. Not an easy task considering that her feet dangled three feet of the ground when she hung from the bottom of it, but the seven year old managed it._

_THIRD PERSON POV_

_Jeff rushed to the door and closed it, while Ashley took a chain rope and a padlock out of her bag. Jeff shoved a broom through the handles of the double door, and Ashley wrapped the chain around the handles twice, before securing it with a padlock._

_Just then, Emma burst through the side door, which came down from the study. They shut this, bolted it, and put a chair in front of it, just in case._

_The three pirates/children turned around and surveyed the kitchen. There was a moment's silence, and then they went crazy._

_Ashley took jars out of the cupboards, and poured the contents into a soup pan. Emma was throwing flour around, and dancing on the island in the middle of the kitchen. And Jeff was generally making a racket, by throwing pots and pans everywhere. All three were singing sea songs, although there weren't singing the same one. Jeff was singing (loudly and out of tune) it's a pirate's life, while Emma was singing the song about Captain Hook that she got from the Disney movie, Peter Pan. Ashley sang a song of her own making, which would later become their theme song of sorts._

_In the space of a few short minutes, the kitchen was completely destroyed, although the three had managed to remain reasonably clean._

_They stopped for a break, and grinned at each other as various people tried to get into the kitchen._

_They stopped smiling when the chains suddenly unwrapped, the padlock went flying across the floor and the broom returned to it's corner of its own accord._

_They were close to screaming when the door burst open to reveal a woman, dressed in a black dress that covered her completely. She had greying brown hair, a nose like a potato, a wart on her chin and nose, and a low hairline. Her eyebrows met in the middle, and she was exceedingly plump. She leant on an old fashioned walking stick, that remined the children of their Grandfather's._

_"Good evening" She said, looking around. "I am Nanny Mcphee. Stop all this, and go get ready for bed."_

_The Rogue rangers shared a look. They turned to Nanny Mcphee and shouted._

_"NEVER!"_


	2. Kitchen Chaos

**A/N Andros/Ashley later. Crazy childhood first! **

**Children Profiles**

**Name- Ashley Jahida Hammond**

**Age- 7**

**Parents- Mara and Elvin Hammond**

**Codename- Star**

**Favourite Colour(s)- Yellow and purple**

**Name- Jeffrey Zander Hammond**

**Age- 12**

**Parents- Mara and Elvin Hammond**

**Codename- Phantom**

**Favourite Colour(s)- Red**

**Name- Emma Hifza Hammond**

**Age- 9**

**Parents- Afryea and Ignacio Hammond**

**Codename- Eclipse**

**Favourite Colour(s)- Green**

_In seconds, the three had returned to causing chaos, with the overflowing soup pan being put on the stove, and some laundry being thrown in with such vigour that most of the strange liquid was on the walls._

_Jeff threw a load of crockery in the washing machine, as well as cutlery, and some actual clothes that had been retrieved from the soup. In the tray, he put curry powder._

_Emma was just plain going crazy, swinging her arms about like a windmill, screaming and yelling. She was just generally running around the kitchen, occasionally throwing any thing she could find._

_Ashley had grabbed on to the fan, and tied a miniature washing line onto it, and three large saucepans were tied onto the washing line. As her brother began to help his cousin in making a volcano out of the soup by pouring bicarbonate soda and vinegar in, Ashley opened the washing machine and jumped out of the way of the torrent of water, but soon realised that she had a better chance of staying dry if she jumped onto the island. She just didn't realise this until she was completely drenched, so it made no difference._

_Nanny Mcphee brought her walking stick in front of her, and slowly raised it. Jeff and Emma slowed their movements, as they felt a strange sense of dread coming from the stick. Ashley stopped somersaulting through the water and stared at Nanny Mcphee as she brought the stick down._

_BANG! Sparks flew from the stick as it hit the floor, and a light flew from it, going in all directions._

_Jeff began stirring the soup/volcano at top speed, his eyes wide in fear as he tried to stop himself._

_Emma was just as scared, she was jumping into the water and picking something up, then dumping it into the pan. She repeated this action many times, with broken plates, knives, forks, spoons, and curry stained clothes._

_Ashley couldn't stop herself from holding onto the rope she had tied to the fan, and was being forced to run with it around the kitchen, jumping from surface to surface._

"_Let's stop!" Jeff shouted, as the soup began to over flow and bubble._

"_We can't" Emma yelled, as she dumped yet another load into the pan._

"_MCPHEE! STOP THIS NOW!" Ashley yelled, as she noticed the rope was beginning to slide off of the fan._

Nanny Mcphee didn't bat an eyelid. "You didn't say please. And my name is Nanny Mcphee so say, 'please Nanny Mcphee'."

_Ashley and Jeff yelled at the same time. "Please Nanny Mcphee!"_

_Emma screamed angrily. "NO!"_

_Ashley began to panic. "Emma, I'm going to fall! Say IT!"_

_Jeff looked at his cousin. "It's hot, and it's going to blow! JUST SAY IT!" He yelled, pulling his face away from the angrily bubbling pot._

_Emma gulped. "Please, Nanny Mcphee." She whimpered._

_Just as Nanny Mcphee banged her stick, the rope broke and the volcano erupted, smoke filling the room._

_As it cleared, the children found themselves next to Nanny Mcphee at the door, and the kitchen was as clean and as full of people as it had been before phase two had been initiated._

"_Go to bed." Nanny Mcphee admonished gently._

_They looked down at their clothes, which were both clean and dry, and at their play clothes in their arms, before running as fast as they could to their room. They all shared Jeff's, even though the girls had their own rooms, painted in bright Barbie pink._

_As Jeff pulled out his sofa bed for his little sister, Emma made herself comfortable on the top bunk. They had changed into their pyjamas, and had their gifts in their arms._

"_We will get rid of her. I don't care if she can do magic, we will get rid of her." Emma vowed, clutching her bow and arrow in her hand._

_Ashley looked up at her cousin. "She might help us." She suggested, settling Stripes into the bed before hopping in herself._

_Jeff flopped into his bed, making sure his wooden sword was by his side. "Or she might help Mara and Garry. We can't take the risk." He said._

_Ashley sighed. "Goodnight Eclipse, goodnight Phantom, Star out."_

_Her fellow rangers replied with their versions of her goodnight, and then all three fell asleep._

Ashley let her smile slip, thinking of how they had misjudged Nanny Mcphee. They had automatically assumed she was the bad guy, trying to help Garry get his greedy hands on their fortune. In reality, she was trying to help them. They hadn't realised that straight away though, and looking back, it was almost funny.

Nanny Mcphee walked into Jeff's room and stood at the far side of the room, which was about twice the size of an average master bedroom. She pulled open the curtains and turned around, her cane still in one hand, although she wasn't leaning on it.

"_Time to get up." She ordered._

_Jeff just turned in his bunk, away from her while Emma opened her eyes a crack and looked at Nanny Mcphee disbelievingly._

"_It's only half seven!" Emma muttered angrily, before pulling the covers over her head._

_Nanny Mcphee looked at the youngest Hammond, who hadn't even stirred. She smiled gently and tucked Ashley in, as her covers had fallen onto the floor during the night. She even put Stripes back into Ashley's arms._

_Then Nanny Mcphee strode over to the door and turned purposely. "I expect for you to be up, washed and dressed by eight." She said, before leaving the room._

_Jeff got up grudgingly, his brown hair sticking up everywhere. He pulled his sword out from under the covers, and walked over to the door. He put a chair under the handle, before hitting the side of Emma's bunk with his sword._

"_Come on Emma, we've got work to do!" He said urgently._

_Emma swatted at her cousin and passed him her bow and arrow, before swinging down from her bunk to his. As she stood, Jeff noticed that her lime green silk, Chinese style pyjamas were rumpled, and her hair was very messy._

_She snatched her toys from him and dragged her arm across her eyes._

"_What work?" She muttered sleepily, glaring at her cousin, who was clad in red pyjama bottoms and shirt, with black polka dots._

"_Getting rid of Garry. Stink bomb in the diner?" He replied._

_Emma was suddenly wide-awake. "Two. One in the fake fruit bowl, one under the table." She grinned._

_Jeff shook his head. "These are the type that have to be broken. How about between Mara's chair leg and the table leg? You know how she pushes it back every morning, then, when she sits down she pushes it in further than it was? If we put it there, she'll break it for sure, and she'll be so behind her schedule that she'll have to miss her dinner date!"_

_Emma frowned slightly. "What if it rolls away?"_

_Jeff sighed exaggeratedly. "We'll tape it to the floor, genius!"_

_Emma still frowned. "What about the other stink bomb?"_

_Jeff shrugged._

_Emma thought for a moment and snapped her fingers. "Under the comfy chair cushion!"_

_Jeff nodded, his face as grave as ever. "Lets do it! Mara will be a little late for breakfast this morning because she had an Angel Corps' board meeting last night"_

_Emma smiled wickedly. "We'll still have to run."_

_When the two came back from their mission, which had been successful, they were shocked to realise that Ashley hadn't moved at all._

"_It's not like her to sleep through anything, and Nanny Mcphee wasn't exactly quiet." Emma stated anxiously._

_Jeff put the grating back on the air vent without much difficulty._

"_Neither were we." He pointed out, glancing at the youngest rogue ranger._

_He noticed that her skin was damp, and her breathing was slightly uneven. Her purple and yellow striped nighty reached her feet, and she was clutching Stripes much closer than she usually would, as she was curled into a tight ball with her arms wrapped protectively around Stripes._

"_Uh oh." He said. "She's having another nightmare!"_

_Emma immediately rushed to her cousin's side and began to shake her. "Ashley! Wake up wake up, wake up wake up, wake UP!" She yelled, trying to save her cousin from all the horrible memories that haunted her dreams._

_Ashley began to scream. "NO! PAPA! NONONONONONONO! DON'T LEAVE ME!"_

_Emma stepped back in horror. When Ashley was this deep in a dream, all they could do was wait for her to wake up. Her screams became incoherent, and the elder two children knew she had reached all the horrid things that had come after the murder._

_As it happened, the butler, Davis had been passing. He shoved the tea trolley into a conference room and ran as fast as he could to Nanny Mcphee's room._

_She glanced up from her book and her cup of tea when he burst into the room._

"_Nanny Mcphee, it's Ashley!" He gasped out. "She's having a nightmare!"_

_Nanny Mcphee tilted her head. "Many children do, it's a simple matter of waking them up."_

_Davis had to resist the urge to just drag the Nanny to Jeff's room. "She doesn't wake up! You have to help her!" Davis sighed. "They haven't told anyone, but they saw Elvin die. The only reason I know is because once, Ashley caught the flu and had to be separated from the other two. I was the only one there when she had her nightmare."_

_Nanny Mcphee nodded, and as Davis turned around to open the door, vanished. He started when he realised she wasn't there anymore, but then ran back to his trolley. He trusted Nanny Mcphee would take care of the kids._

_As Ashley began to thrash about in her bed, Nanny Mcphee walked into the room. She glanced around, first at the highly distressed seven-year-old, and then at her family._

_Emma had tears pouring down her cheeks, her mouth open in a silent scream. There wasn't a trace of a smile on her usually grinning face. Jeff was pale, his teeth were clenched and his knuckles were turning white as he gripped his wooden sword._

_He turned to the Nanny and spoke in a heartbreaking little-boy voice. "Please help her Nanny Mcphee. She won't wake up." He said, his voice breaking._

_Nanny Mcphee placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, and then walked towards Ashley._

"_Time to wake up Star." She said softly, banging her stick. Once again, sparks flew up from the bottom, although there was no magic light spreading outwards from it this time._

_Ashley's eyes snapped open and she sat up, crying._

_Nanny Mcphee immediately took the sobbing child into her arms, and motioned for the other two to come over._

_Hesitantly, they did, and Ashley slowly stopped crying. When she did, Nanny Mcphee transferred her to Jeff's waiting arms, and Ashley found the air being squeezed out of her lungs as he hugged her._

_Emma looked at the Nanny in awe. "Th, Thanks." She forced out._

_Jeff released his sister. "Thank you for saving my sister Nanny Mcphee." He said, in that choked voice boys use when they are trying not to cry._

_Ashley simply walked up to Nanny Mcphee and hugged her around the waist._

_Nanny Mcphee smiled, and her warts vanished. Her waistline thinned a bit, and Ashley was shocked as she could suddenly fit her arms around the Nanny._

"_You will be brought breakfast in half an hour. I expect you to be washed and in clean bedclothes by the time it arrives. You do not have to get up today." Said Nanny Mcphee._

_Ashley released Nanny Mcphee and quietly asked if Davis could bring it up, to which Nanny Mcphee said he would._

_Then she left the room, and the girls went back to their own rooms to get washed and changed, into identical nightclothes as they had worn before. Jeff did the same, except he alsoput his pirate hat on. It was a comfort thing._

_The two girls came back, and sat on the spare sofa. It was something that Jeff had seen in a junk shop, and he had to have it. His father had gotten it for him immediately, saying that it was an early birthday present. Mara had argued that they could have easily bought him a new sofa, but Jeff had insisted that he liked the new sofa best. It was a mix match mess, with the back cushions being green, the seat cushions being purple and yellow, and the body was red._

_The children loved it._

_Now, Ashley and Emma sat on it, waiting for breakfast to arrive._

_All of a sudden, Ashley looked up. "What was it Nanny Mcphee said before she banged his walking stick?"_

_Jeff repeated it without thinking._

_Then, all three Rogue ranger heads snapped up like they had been electrified._

"_How did she know my name?" Ashley asked fearfully._


	3. The Day

**A/N, I just realised my way of updating might be confusing anyone who reads this. So, I'm going to tell you how I update! I write a chapter, post it, and add to it on documents, before I delete the online version, and post the longer one!**

The day passed had peacefully, with much of it being filled with the three Rogue Rangers trying to work out how Nanny Mcphee had known Ashley's name. They no longer thought of themselves as anything but a team who happened to be both related and friends, so they no longer thought of themselves as anyone but Phantom, Eclipse and Star, or as an incredible team, The Rogue Rangers.

They had looked at it from every angle, and in the end, came up with nothing.

_So Emma had started pacing, as she always did when she couldn't be in control of a situation, or have more than the basics facts. Or when she was scared._

"_We have to do something!" She yelled angrily, her eyes flashing green._

_She waved her hands to emphasize her point, and dark green sparkles erupted from her hand._

_There was a small explosion, and Emma shrieked in alarm, while Jeff simply edged away from her._

_At least, that's what Ashley thought he did. All she could see of him was a distortion in the air._

_She looked at where the air seemed to shimmer, and then at the green sparkles that lingered in the air. She listened to Jeff and Emma, both of whom were screaming their heads off._

"_SHUT UP!" She yelled at the top of her voice. "I'M TRYING TO THINK!"_

Ashley giggled as she thought of what her new team would think if they had seen her that day. TJ probably wouldn't be too surprised, seeing as he lived with her all the time he was in Angel Grove, but the rest of them would definitely be shocked.

Sometimes, she wondered how TJ could be Emma's cousin. She knew that Emma's mother and his mother were sisters, and since his parents were killed he had been sent to live with his cousin in Angel Grove, but still, it was hard to believe that the calm, confident blue Astro ranger was actually related to a stubborn control freak like Emma.

It had been even harder for TJ to believe that a 21-year old man, and his two younger female relatives could actually live in a renovated, ten bedroom hotel, without needing adult supervision. Ashley didn't even want to think about what he must have thought when he heard about the living arrangements.

Ashley frowned as she thought of something. She and her fellow Rogues had completely become their alter egos in one lousy month, what if the same thing had happened to Andros? It was so easy to hide your pain behind a codename; he could have easily decided, subconsciously, that he was invincible as the red ranger, and that the universe didn't need Andros of KO-35. Which wasn't true, not at all.

His new team needed him to be someone real, that they could relate to, or even to be friends with, if he let them. She hoped he could let her be a little more than a friend to him, but that was beside the point.

The yellow ranger stiffened slightly as she heard someone breathing. Whoever it was, they didn't want to be heard. They were also way too close for comfort.

Ashley suddenly whirled around and backhanded the person who was behind her.

"OUCH!" TJ yelled.

Ashley blushed as red as Andros's uniform. "TJ, you scared me!" She gasped.

"I figured that." TJ grumbled, as one hand covered his nose.

Ashley turned even redder, if that was possible. "Lets get you to the med bay." She mumbled, keeping her head down.

When they emerged from the med bay, TJ had two balls of tissue paper stuck up his nostrils.

"I said I was sorry!" Ashley said, noticing TJ glaring daggers at her. "It's not my fault you snuck up on me! What are you doing up so late anyway?"

TJ smiled through his pain. "It's six thirty in the morning."

Ashley blinked. "I guess that explains the cramp."

TJ groaned. "You stayed up all night?"

She nodded slowly, and he shook his head. "Andros is going to kill you."

Ashley shrugged, before dragging TJ to the work bay, where the others were dressed and eating breakfast.

Carlos looked up and stifled a laugh. "Nice outfit Ashley." He called.

Cassie looked up to see what Carlos was talking about, and her eyes landed on TJ. "Teej, what happened?" She gasped. Ashley had to stop herself from rolling her eyes, if Cassie and TJ didn't admit they had feelings for each other, she was probably going to end up locking them in a closet.

TJ pointed at Ashley.

Ashley pulled her bright yellow dressing gown around her tighter, and put up her hood. She knew her hair must be a mess. And she also knew that Carlos could only see her dressing gown, not her purple T-shirt and shorts pyjama set, so he was probably making fun of her fluffy yellow bunny slippers. And the fact she was the only one not in uniform.

Cassie stared at Ashley. "Why did you give TJ a nosebleed?"

Ashley began to protest her innocence. "The jerk snuck up on me!"

Cassie turned to TJ. "Why did you sneak up on Ashley?"

TJ had the grace to look sheepish. "I wanted to spook her."

Ashley turned to her second cousin. "YOU WHAT!" She yelled.

TJ had lived with her since he had gotten to Angel Grove, so he wasn't too shocked that she could, in fact, lose her temper. He even began to run for his life four seconds before she started chasing him. The others were definitely shocked, to make the understatement of the century.

"I'm gonna get you Theodore Jarvis Johnson! And when I do you are going to be sooooooooo sorry!" Ashley yelled, flipping over the table so she could land in front of him.

"Don't make me use your full name!" TJ warned, as she began to pound him, putting his arms over his head.

Ashley ignored him in favour of shoving him onto the ground.

TJ braced himself for the eruption. "Ashley Jahida Hammond, stop that now!"

Ashley went very pale, and froze. She took a deep breath and forced herself over to the synthatron to get her breakfast.

As she sat down at the table she sent a significant look in TJ's direction. "If any of you use my full name, ever, I'll make sure I find you. And it won't be fun… for you at any rate." Ashley scowled.

TJ looked at her, and the wheels began to turn in his head. Stayed up all night, jumpy, and confrontational. He groaned. "It's The Day, isn't it?"

Ashley looked up, surprised. "Yeah. You actually forgot?"

Andros chose to enter the conversation. "Ashley, it isn't protocol to wear bedclothes on this ship. Astonema could attack at any time."

Ashley turned to the guy she was seriously crushing on, and tried to remind herself that breaking his nose wouldn't help him accept them as his friends. But, on the other hand, she couldn't let his rudeness go unanswered. No matter how cute she happened to think he was.

"Andros. Shut it." She said, as calmly as she could manage.

Cassie managed to find her tongue. "What's up with today?"

TJ looked at his housemate, and began to slide under the table. That particular look on her face meant that she was close to breaking point. Seconds later, she reached it.

"What's up with today? Oh nothing, nothing at all. It's only the anniversary of my papa's death, and the day a social worker comes, **every damn year**, to decide if I'm allowed to stay with my brother, or if I should go back to my mom. No, nothing's wrong, nothing at all." Was what Ashley was going to say but, luckily for her, the alarm went off.

"Alert. One of Astonema's monsters is Destroying Angel Grove wood." DECA warned.

Ashley went white. That was near her house, and just as importantly, where her papa's ashes had been scattered.

She threw her dressing gown onto the floor and put on a pair of sandals, before racing the others to the jump tubes. Despite the minor delay, she beat them there.

Andros looked at her weirdly for a few seconds, but then went through his tube.

Ashley followed suit, and jumped off her galaxy glider before the others.

Grateful she was morphed, Ashley turned to the monster. It looked like a giant cigarette that had been painted the colour of gangrene, and had two short, chubby arms sticking out on either side. It had clown shoes, and a round, orange head, a painted on blue smile, furry green eyebrows, and black eyes. It also had sparks coming off of him, reminding her that no matter how ridiculous a monster looked, it was never easy to beat.

"Look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way, so why don't you be a good little monster and go away so you don't have to get your butt kicked." Ashley said threateningly.

"I am Evithor! I do as I please!" The monster shouted, sending a ray of black electricity towards her.

Ashley dodged, barely. "All right, last chance!" She yelled.

In response, Evithor tried to electrocute her again.

"Ashley! We have to work together!" Andros shouted.

Ashley ignored him, and began attacking Evithor with everything she had. Problem was, her anger made her reckless, and she was soon on the ground writhing in pain, while her fellow Rangers fought the small army of Quantrons Astronema had sent down.

Ashley had just managed to force herself into a shaky, half crouch half standing position when Evithor sent another ray at her. Knowing that in her weakened state she stood as good a chance of dodging as she did of coming out of the Onyx Tavern with two sober companions, Ashley closed her eyes and braced herself for the blast that never came.

"Cheap shot vokren." Emma's morphed Eclipse voice sounded, from somewhere Ashley knew she wouldn't be. Emma could use her sorcery to throw her voice, and she always did when she swore in an off planet language. And that meant always, even if she was just hanging out with Jeff and Ashley.

Ashley opened her eyes, and saw a black-cloaked figure in front of her. He had a sword in front of him, pointed at the monster, and Ashley could see an electric blue R on his left shoulder, and a crimson P on his upper arm. Jeff!

She looked at the monster, which was smoking. Jeff must have deflected the blast. Jeff switched from his blaster stance to a charge one, and a few seconds later, Ashley saw why.

A single arrow hit Evithor, and he yelled in pain, and Jeff charged him while he was distracted. Three slashes later, the monster exploded, and Jeff returned his sword to its sheath, while another, female figure, jumped down from a tree, landing gracefully.

She turned around to Jeff, and Ashley saw that the cloaks were identical, apart from an olive green E on the left shoulder, rather than the P. Emma slung the bow over her shoulder and turned back to the Astro rangers, none of whom had moved an inch.

Andros unfroze andstepped forward. "Who are you?" He asked, in an accusatory tone.

Jeff's morphed Phantom voice came from the guy. "We are of no concern to you, Andros of KO-35. But, since you ask, I am the Rogue Phantom ranger."

He bowed mockingly, and Ashley glared at him, wishing he could see it through her visor. She barely managed to stop herself from groaningout loud when Emma curtseyed.

"I am the Rogue Eclipse ranger. Star detected a disturbance, and since she was unable to investigate herself, she asked us too. We saw your battle, and only interfered when we thought necessary." Emma said, in the strange, echoing voice of Eclipse.

Jeff turned to his younger sister and used the most threatening voice Phantom could use. "Ashley of Earth, you should have learnt during your Turbo days, your emotions can blind you in a battle!"

Emma used the same tone, as she spoke to her share of the rangers. "Theodore of Earth, you should make use of your body when your axe is drawn, using your axe alone leaves you at a disadvantage."

"Cassandra of Earth, your Satellite Stunner leaves your back undefended, try to stay near Andros, Carlos or Theodore when using it, so they can cover that hole in your defence."

"Carlos of Earth, you are a pretty well rounded fighter, but you need to work on one on one combat as well as being able to take out several quantrons at a time. Spar with one of your team-mates."

"Andros of KO-35, try to trust that your team mates can fight their own battles, you were distracted many times during the battle. Although we do not wish for you to be guilty of the opposite fault, try to look around whenever you are can, not whenever you want to."

Ashley was glad no one could see her facial expression through her helmet. She felt so… very… tired.

Ashley felt herself demorph as she collapsed, but didn't pay much attention to it, as consciousness left her.


	4. Three Years

**A/N Jeff and Emma weren't really being mean, they just wanted to yell at Ashley for putting herself in danger, and told off the others to make it more convincing. And this story is slightly AU, because Cassie never had a crush on Phantom.**

**DV2- I'm glad you like my story, and I always update soon, at least on a new story! (Looks guiltily at other, unfinished stories) Don't worry, Ashley won't be evil, she had enough of that as a kid. I did seriously consider it though.**

**AH/AY- Thanks for the cloaks idea; I was thinking cliché superhero outfits and masks! Don't worry, I always… wait, haven't I written this before? Read DV2's response!**

**Ghostwriter- Sorry, but Para Power has been discontinued, I have too many other stories, and it was hardest to write, so… Yeah. It's gone.**

_Jeff reappeared, and the two older Rogues stared at Ashley._

"_You can't say you're not freaked out by this." Emma stated._

_Ashley rolled her eyes and jumped onto her bed. "You guys have powers, end of story. Why you guys are scared is a mystery to me."_

_The cousins realised something then, for the first time since Elvin's murder. Ashley was seven years old; she didn't know the line between possible and impossible as well as they did._

_At least, that's what they thought. Ashley just had a hunch that Nanny Mcphee knew what was going on, and that they would know when the time was right._

_Months passed, and Nanny Mcphee told them that Elvin and Ignacio were from another planet. When Madre was destroyed in an attack, they had fled to Earth, and built up the NASADA space company. Madres were a type of human that was pretty much the same as Earth humans, except that they usually developed powers. Unlike other types of Human, there wasn't a specific power in their race; it was any power in the Universe. Emma had the Sorcery power, while Jeff had Invisibility. Ashley was too young for her powers to have fully developed, so no one had any idea what her power was._

_Elvin had had a strange power called Technological possession. This was rare, and meant he could separate his soul from his body, and enter a machine and he could control any machine he was inside._

_Ignacio was a warp hole maker, which meant he could create portals from one place to another. It tired him greatly, so he had stopped using it the second he had gotten his private jet._

_There was one huge surprise thrown into the mix. Ignacio and Elvin had a half sister, called Jena. She was half Kerovan, and had fled to KO-35 when her home planet had fallen. She had married, and the last thing they had heard had of her, she had died in childbirth. Her son, Zhane was her last gift to the world. His powers were just normal Kerovan telekinesis and telepathy._

_Nanny Mcphee had grown prettier and prettier as time went on, and she left shortly after the children had gained control over their powers, and a week before the wedding. Garry and Mara had gotten married, but, unfortunately for Garry, GrandmaAmber Hubble had cut Mara out of the inheritance, and put it in the children's bank accounts for when they turned 18._

_Garry hadn't been pleased when he had found out._

"_Bitch!" He yelled at Grandma. "I'll kill you, after I get those damn brats!"_

_Garry lunged at Ashley, who was holding Stripes. That was a big mistake on his part, Ashley was as protective of the doll as a mother was of her baby._

_Ashley cart wheeled out of his way, and tripped him up with a sweep kick. The 'little' girl succeeded in sending him headfirst into the remains of the wedding cake._

_Each of the Rogues had grabbed a duffel bag from under a table._

"_Sayonara!" They yelled over their shoulders, as they ran to the nearby 'just married' silver Audi A6 Advant that would have taken Mara and Garry to the airport. The chauffeur was at the wedding, so he wasn't there._

_Jeff sat in the drivers seat. "You two ready?" He asked._

"_Nope." Ashley yelled. "You don't have a drivers licence!"_

"_Too bad, hold on!" Jeff called back, slamming down the accelerator._

_Ashley held onto Stripes for dear life, as Emma did to her bow. Neither girl had much faith in their seatbelts, or Jeff's driving skills. But who could blame them; Jeff wouldn't be old enough to get a permit for another six years!_

_After about fifteen minutes, Jeff hit the brakes, and they ran into the train station._

_After finding their seats (they had been planning this for a while), they began to discuss what to do next. Three kids, alone in the world would be at risk, not to mention the fact someone was going to search for them, eventually._

"_We can't stay in California. We'd get caught too easily." Emma pointed out._

"_We can come back in a while, but I think our best bet is to leave America." Jeff advised. "A national search would mean we would be found, but if we leave, well, whoever heard of an worldwide search for three runaways?"_

_Ashley hugged Stripes close to her. "We'd attract too much attention if we couldn't speak the local language, so that leaves us with Australia, the UK, New Zealand, and Canada. So, where are we going?"_

_Emma pulled an atlas out of her bag. "Australia. If we use the money we took from the study to buy a RV, we'll get on okay. As long as Jeff learns how to drive of course. We could shop online, and we could each get a laptop, we could keep up with our education that way. We could make fake identities via computer, but I have no idea how, or what we'll do when the money runs out. Damn it! This would be so much easier if my parents would help!"_

_Ashley pulled a laptop out of her bag, and her eyes changed for a brief moment. Yellow pupils surrounded by purple irises. Then they were back to normal, and she began typing furiously._

_Finally, she looked up. "Miss R. Ranger has arranged for her recently adopted children to visit her in Sydney. We board at Angel Grove airport, and we fly straight there. Special arrangements have been made so we can fly on our own. And she lives in a RV, which has just been rescued from the Police Compound, so somebody will drive it over to the airport and leave the keys with security. Our names are Ashlyn Starr, S T A R R, Jefferson Fenton, and Emily Ecliptic._

_I hacked into our bank accounts and transferred about a quarter of a million dollars into Mrs Rangers account, so we should be able to get by. We can use the money we have now for decorating and cleaning, as well as supplying the laptops. Now we don't have to buy the RV, the money should last a while."_

_Jeff and Emma exchanged looks._

"_I guess we know what your power is." Jeff said. "Something to do with technology."_

_"Control over it, or understanding, or just plain unnaturally good skills." Emma added. " By the way, why Ecliptic?"_

_Ashley looked at her cousin. "Ecliptic, the suns apparent path. East to west, same way we're heading at this very moment. It was in an online dictionary I passed."_

_Hours later, they were in Angel Grove, finally. They stopped at a supermarket to get some food, because they wouldn't have to be at the airport for another two hours, and their flight wouldn't leave for another four._

_Ashley browsed the sandwich aisle, looking at nutrition labels. Jeff was getting toiletries and groceries for the next few days, Emma was getting clothes, underwear, and new suitcases, while she was stuck getting food for the rest of the day. She was also going to have to get the new laptops, when they went to the computer store._

_Just as she found what she was looking for, a dark skinned boy, about Emma's age, came into the aisle; dancing to a tune only he could hear. Ashley clapped, and he froze._

" _Oh, I'm sorry. What type of dance was that? You're really good." Ashley stuttered._

_The boy looked at his feet. "Hip Hop. You don't have to tell me, boys shouldn't dance."_

"_I wasn't going to say that. Besides, anyone can dance if they want to, boy or girl. Hello, the feminist movement is about equality, so that means men and women can do anything they want! Well, guys can't get pregnant and stuff like that, and girls can't do whatever guys do, but you get the point!" Ashley said heatedly._

_The boy looked up. "I guess you have a point. Hi, I'm Zack."_

_Ashley smiled. "Ashlyn. Hey, can you get that BLT for me? I can't reach, and it's my brothers favourite sandwich."_

_Zack passed her the sandwich. "Maybe I'll see you around some time." He said casually._

_Ashley shook her head. "We're just passing through. By the way, do you know where we can find a computer store?"_

_Zack gave her directions, and Ashley went to pay for her purchases. Then, the three Rogues, laden with bags, left for the computer place._

_Ashley ran in, and found herself being stared at by all the salesmen, and most of the customers. She mentally slapped herself on the forehead, it was only now she was realising that it wasn't normal for a seven year old to be shopping by herself. She ignored the stares, and started looking for the best laptop. Somehow, she knew what they could do, and what she needed._

_Soon, she found the perfect laptop, and took the required amount of money out of her bag. She was good at maths too, especially money and percentages, thanks to being heir to two multi million dollar corporations._

_Just as she hailed the salesman, she noticed a boy staring at her. He wore blue overalls, and horn-rimmed glasses. "Hello." Ashley smiled._

_The boy started violently. "H, hello. My designation is Billy. What is yours?"_

"_Ashlyn. Why were you watching me?" Ashley asked._

_Billy blushed. "I was considering why a person younger than myself might want the best quality portable computer in the store, and why you might chose it over a more aesthetically pleasing model."_

_Ashley smiled brightly. "I'd love to discuss this, but I don't have enough time. Do you have an email address? It'd be cool to have a pen pal, and I haven't got my email set up yet."_

_Billy wrote it on a slip of paper, and then Ashley bought the computers. The kids took a bus, while Ashley set up the computers, for email, and learning purposes._

Eventually, they were on their way to Sydney.

They got by, Emma using her sorcery anytime they needed an adult to go to the bank. Ashley fine tuned her powers, and soon discovered she could turn them 'off'. She did this whenever she was doing normal school work on her computer, otherwise her powers would find the answer on another document.

At one point, they moved to a remote mountain village in the South of Spain for a few months, because they thought they had been caught. There, they learnt traditional farming, and took the names Georgia (Emma), Jiri (Jeff), and Tesia (Ashley) Rogue.

Then they moved to Tokyo, simply because they didn't like feeling isolated. There, they had two names. One set for everyday life, the other for when they were fighting terrorists, being superheroes.

That was how their uniform cloaks had originated. Star, Phantom and Eclipse needed to be completely different people from Jahida, Zander and Hifza Madre.

Over the years, Jeff trained with a sword, a real one, and became an excellent swordsman. Emma took up archery, and she was top in every competition she entered.

Ashley, not wanting to be left out, trained in the martial arts and gymnastics. She eventually discovered the Chinese fighting fan, and within months she was as skilled with it as female mercenaries had been centuries ago. Zack and Billy encouraged her to do her best, as Billy had put her in contact with Zack. She kept in touch with both of them by email, and they were good friends.

One terrorist group, Fortress, caused them a lot more bother than any other. In fact, Ashley had to face their leader on her own, because his goons had kidnapped a school of innocent children, and were holding them hostage. Jeff and Emma had had to rescue the four hundred children, leaving the youngest Rogue on her own against a complete madman.

"_So, Star did you say your name was? How does it feel to know that Mario Sear has defeated you? Your kind never stood a chance against the Sears, weak, pathetic, fools!" He yelled._

_Star dragged herself up from the bridge, not letting her opponent know how much she had been affected by what was underneath her. Underneath the wire bridge was a lab where about ten innocent children were being enhanced through painful, scientific procedures. Where they were being forced to fight for their lives with their newfound abilities. Turned into weapons._

_It made Star sick to her stomach. The man responsible for all the horrific things that are too awful to describe, was Mario Sear. His eyes were overlarge, and a deep blue. His hair was in a neat, stylish ponytail, and he had a gun in his hand. The gun was pointed at her._

"_It's not over yet." Star stated her voice tainted with hatred._

_With one quick movement, the gun was rendered useless, because all Mario had left was the handle. The rest of it was on the ground, several yards below._

_Milliseconds later, Mario joined it._

_Star realized she had killed him, but she refused to let herself dwell on it, shoving her emotions to the back of her mind. She captured the scientists, and freed the children. A quick scan of the missing person files showed that all of them had families in the city. Except for one, a two-year-old boy._

_His nametag said 12-4-4. Ashley scanned the computers of the lab, and discovered something that shocked her to the core. He was the gene child of Elvin Hammond and a scientist at the lab. Someone had taken the sperm her father had donated to a sperm bank, and used it to create a child that would not be loved or wanted._

_Star picked him up, and held him close._

"_Hello Lee. I'm your sister." She whispered._

_Snapping back into business mode, she led the children out of the building, and to the nearest hospital. When Lee was said to be okay, she took him back to the dojo she lived above. Ashley was only nine years old at the time, but she swore by the power she would try her best to make sure he had a good life._

_A month later, Ashley realized that Stripes, the doll, had a necklace on. Ashley removed the necklace, and found an Emerald, Ruby and an Amethyst attached to a silver chain. Engraved on the back of the necklace was a single word, Rain. Ashley instinctively knew that this was referring to Lee, and the silver meant her cousin Zhane._

_Jeff was the one to work out how to morph, and Emma was the one who suggested blasting off into space._

_And thanks to Lee sitting next to the 'bag of memories', they didn't forget the keys to their old RV, (now hidden in an abandoned hotel in Angel Grove, which would later become their permanent home), or their weapons, or anything from their previous lives. Ashley visited Angel Grove and lent her friends her laptop, saying she wouldn't be able to contact them for a while. They understood, and introduced her to two of their friends, Jason and Trini. So Ashley left for space with four friends behind her, and a promise to return to Angel Grove._

_And Emma learnt a new spell, and changed her toy bow and arrow set into the Eclipse Bow, Jeff's sword into the Phantom Cutlass, and Ashley's fan into the Star Fan. They travelled the universe, and although they did a lot of good, Ashley only helped in emergencies. Someone had to stay behind and look after Lee!_

_Since Ashley was behind the scenes, she became the official mechanic and cook, learning as she went along, using her powers when she wasn't sure of something._

_It wasn't too different from living on the RV, really._


	5. Old Friend

**A/N Like this means Astronema is thinking!**

**Review responses**

**DV2- With great difficulty**

**AH/AY- Glad you like it, and I usually update soon(ish)**

**Ghostwriter- Thank you, glad you like it! CYOTFS!**

Astronema paced her chambers, replaying the last battle in her head. Two figures in cloaks, called Eclipse and Phantom. Star wasn't there. The yellow ranger had collapsed, and she was wearing purple.

Astronema glared at a picture of the morphed yellow ranger.

'**Was I really that focused on destroying the red ranger that I didn't look at the others?'** She wondered.

Picking up a recently attained picture of Ashley, the princess of evil studied her face.

'**Star had a glint in her eye, and her powers made her good at technology, and she studied fighting styles from all over the galaxy. As far as I can tell, Yellow ranger has a sparkle in her eye, and is useless at technology. She is also a cheerleader, not a martial artist.' Astronema thought, comparing her old friend to her current enemy. 'Not to mention Star had blonde hair with three purple stripes, while yellow ranger has light brown hair. But they do look a little alike, and Star liked dancing, and she always cared about what she wore. Yellow ranger's files show that she studies dance and fashion.**

**And she lives with her brother and cousin as opposed to her mother, despite her mother campaigning for custody. Her father was murdered when she was seven, and she went missing about six months later for eight years. That's similar enough to what Star told me about her life.**

**But Star would never leave Lee in the hands of a stranger, unless she had no choice. They yellow ranger doesn't have a younger brother, although her family are about the right ages otherwise.**

**And according to this data, her house is about fifty feet away from the where the battle was. Phantom and Eclipse could have easily come from there.**

**But why wouldn't she tell me she was, well, her?'**

Astronema shook her head. Maybe she should try a new tactic.

"Ecliptor, bring up all video files of the yellow ranger in combat!" She shrieked. "And while you're at it, all files on her personal history!"

Hours later, Astronema had discovered that a team of superheroes in Tokyo had had the exact same names, and cloaks, as the two Rogue rangers, and her old friend Star. At the same time, three home-schooled children in the city had graduated college. Their names had been the same as the Hammond's middle names, while their last name was the same as the name of Star's father's home planet.

Astronema groaned, and slunk down in her chair. The yellow ranger was the same person as her best friend.

A few minutes later, Astronema re emerged from her bathroom, in her natural form. Her blonde hair was in a shoulder/middle length bob; she wore a grey tank top, denim shorts, black sneakers and her locket. Snapping on a bracelet that had her purple diamond symbol engraved on it, she headed to Earth, wishing she could take her wrath staff.

Taking a deep breath, Astronema rang the Hammonds doorbell. Just as she was considering teleporting out of there as fast as was physically possible, the door opened.

Emma looked at the stranger on the doorstep questioningly. A green headband held her dark hair back, she wore a hunter green t-shirt, cropped jeans, and sandals.

"May I help you?" She asked.

Astronema forced herself to relax. "I'm looking for Star, of Madre."

Emma nearly fell over at that. "She's with her friends." She said quickly.

Astronoma's face fell. "On the megaship?"

Emma nodded. "Who are you?" She demanded.

"Astronema. Star is my best friend, and I really want to talk to her, so please don't kill me." Astronema rushed out, seeing Emma's face darken.

Emma looked thoughtful for a moment. "I can call TJ, and he could take you to the megaship. You need to change your name though, so you don't get blasted back to the Dark Fortress." Emma surveyed the princess of evil. "Sabrina Starr."

"Huh?" 'Sabrina' asked.

"Starr was one of Ashley's old surnames. Add an extra R to the word star to spell it. Sabrina means from the boundary, or a princess. Plus, there's a TV show called Sabrina the teenage witch, and seeing as you're a sorceress…"

Sabrina smirked slightly, before narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "Why are you helping me?"

Emma smiled faintly. "Us sorceresses have got to help each other."

Sabrina raised her eyebrows.

"Later." Emma said firmly, before hitting a button on the inside of the doorframe.

"Hello?" TJ asked on the other end. He was on the megaship, so DECA wasn't communicating him, and all the astro rangers were on board, so he had no idea who he was speaking to.

"Teej, it's Emma. Listen, an old friend of Ashley's from way back then is on our porch, and she knows who you guys are, so could you teleport her up there?"

"No. I want to live."

"Which would you like better, your team mates being mad at you, or **me **being extremely pissed off at you?"

"Tell her to get inside, no need for anyone to see her vanish."

"Teej, you're the best!"

Sabrina tried her best to keep from bursting out laughing. This was better than watching Elgar 'play' with Scrudly.

The second she arrived on the megaship, the urge to laugh vanished. The red ranger was standing right in front of her, and the blue ranger had his back to both of them.

Andros dropped into a fighting stance. "Who are you?" He demanded.

Sabrina put her hands in front of her, in a gesture that was both defensive and surrendering.

"I'm Ashley's friend." She said, switching to her friends new name with ease. "Call me Sabrina." Her new name flowed off of her tongue even easier than her real one. **Must be the syllables.**

TJ turned around and started violently. "Oh, umm Andros hi! Didn't see you there! Listen, I know we aren't supposed to bring people up here but uhhh…"

Sabrina decided to end his misery. "Ashley's housemates are very persuasive. In a bad way."

TJ nodded sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Andros turned to the stranger who had teleported onto his ship and glared at her. "Follow me, the Med Bay's this way." He said suddenly, before turning and walking away at a brisk pace.

Sabrina had to jog to keep up with him. "You aren't a people person, are you?"

Andros glared at her in response, and Sabrina had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Yeah, the Princess of evil was really going to be intimidated by a few dirty looks.

**What is the princess of evil doing on an enemy ship, feeling more at home than she has since Star left the Dark Fortress? Why is the princess of evil visiting her friend on the other side of the war? Why does the princess of evil even consider a ranger as her friend? What if the princess of evil isn't as evil as she thought she was? Maybe I'm like Star described us, that particular shade of grey in a world of black and white.**

Sabrina shook her head. **I should really wait until Star is awake, I mean until ASHLEY is awake, to start questioning my entire existence. She has a unique point of view on everything, from politics to alcohol.**

Andros led her into the med bay, where Ashley was resting on a crisp, white bed. Her skin was pale, and there was a yellow blanket over her. She looked so peaceful, so innocent, Sabrina privately thought that it was no wonder nobody would ever connect her with the girl who had raised her younger brother for almost six years, or the lesser-known Rogue Ranger, Star.

Sabrina looked at Andros, and saw him staring at Ashley as if he was mesmerized. Then, Ashley stirred and Andros snapped out of his trance.

"Ask DECA, the ship's computer if you need anything." He said, before turning and leaving the room.

Sabrina smiled slightly, before sitting into the comfortable chair next to Ashley's bedside.

"I think he likes you Star." She told her sleeping best friend, before dozing off herself.

Ashley dreamt on, her powers alerting her that her old friend was on the ship, and her Astronema outfit had been replaced by Earth civilian clothes. Thank god for security cameras, or else she wouldn't know what to call her old friend.

Neither girl knew that Andros was watching them on DECA's security cameras, or that his gaze was focused on Ashley's face and Sabrina's locket respectively.

Ashley slept on.

_The ship was more of a shuttle really. It had some weapons, five bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. The spare bedroom was used as a training arena, and Ashley was in there any time she had a free moment, and Lee was asleep. The rest of the time, she played with Lee, tended to the various machines that needed her care, cooked for her family, and made sure they were doing all right._

_Heck, she even had a few teenage magazines and pads ready for when Eclipse started her periods, and she taught Lee as much as she knew about the universe, and taught him the very basic skills he would need to get along on Earth, that other's his age were learning._

_One day, when Lee was four and Ashley was Eleven, Lee asked her why her hair had changed colour. Shocked, she looked in the mirror and saw her hair was no longer the light brown it had been when she had left Earth. Her hair had been lightened to a golden blonde, and she had two purple stripes framing her face, and another stripe on the left side of her head._

_Doing her research on Madre humans, she learnt something truly horrible._

_Occasionally, Madres, especially pre teens, would develop a genetic disorder called Mycenae. It was easily treated, a speck of nectar could stop the bad effects of it, but the unexplained side effect of slight physical mutation was never cured. If untreated, it could develop into an aggressive, incurable cancer._

_There was no nectar in an eighteen-system radius. And unless she could convince Jeff and Emma that she genuinely needed the nectar, she would die._


	6. Illness

A week later, Star did something her brother and cousin never expected. She stole a ship, and flew away with Lee. Just to get some nectar for a recipe, or something. She must really want to make this recipe, because she had dyed her hair, saying she needed it to cure a disease she had. What did she think they were, stupid? No disease could be cured with a little nectar!

Star had been flying towards the Kerova system for several days, when she decided to stop for supplies on Onyx. Maybe the tavern keeper had some nectar…

_He didn't, but she did manage to get some food and water for the rest of her journey._

_As she left the tavern, a stranger stepped out of the shadows, holding Lee. It was a girl about her own age, in a tight leather body suit. Her hair was hot pink, and she wore way too much make up._

"_What could a Rogue possibly want with nectar?" The stranger taunted._

_Star dropped into a fighting stance immediately. "Let him go witch."_

"_My name is Astronema, and I won't."_

"_Too bad." Star said, before launching herself at Astronema, who tossed Lee to some quantrons._

_The two girls were evenly matched, and soon tired of hand-to-hand combat, although Astronema had managed to put some of Star's blood on a wall, and Star had given Astronema several painful bruises._

_The battle wore on, until someone hit Star from behind._

_When she came to, she was in a heavily decorated bedroom. The bed covers were made of black velvet, and Star was lying on a chaise lounge chair. Lee was nearby, on a small, black bed._

_As Star sat up, she noticed Astronema standing in the doorway._

"_The Mycenae has been cured, and you were out cold for two days. Your condition was advancing, or else you would have woken up before now. Lee has told us you're practically his mom, and no, you are not being used as a hostage."_

_Star blinked. "Why did you bring me here then?"_

_Astronema smiled slightly. "I wanted somebody to talk to for a few days. Besides, we can drop you off at a hospital on Kerova so you can get proper aftercare treatment for Mycenae. Like I said, it was pretty advanced. The only reason you survived so long was the fact your powers kept it at bay somewhat. Your non Madre DNA, actually encouraged its growth."_

_Star stared at the villainess for a moment. "Why are you helping me?"_

_Astronema sat down on the edge of the four-poster bed. "I saw your hair in the tavern, and I heard you ask for nectar. I knew you were sick, so I had Ecliptor kidnap your ship. There was no way you could have reached a nectar source in time!"_

"_That doesn't answer my question. I'm a Ranger; you're a bad guy. Why are you helping me?" Star demanded, leaning back against the cushions. She didn't think she could sit up without the extra support._

"_Before the Power Rangers killed him and the rest of my family, my older brother had Mycenae. I almost lost him because there was a nectar shortage! You remind me of him. It's the glint in your eyes. It tells people you aren't to be messed with." Astronema half whispered._

_Star stared at her new friend for several seconds, before Lee began to stir._

"Star, you better!" He exclaimed, making both girls laugh.

So that was how the two girls became best friends. It actually took about a month to get to Kerova, due to a solar storm, so they had more time together as roommates and pals.

Astronema hugged Lee, and then Star. The two girls walked down the gangway slowly, as Astronema told her friend something that Astronema's guardian had noticed on her latest medical scan. The Mycenae had been cured before it killed Star, but not before it did some serious harm.

_On Kerova, Star went to the hospital morphed. Her outfit was the darkest purple imaginable, while her boots and gloves were a slightly lighter shade, and her helmet was a purple version of the Time Force rangers. On her the edge of her extremely short skirt was a yellow star design, while the symbol of Madre was on her chest. After all, the Rogue ranger powers had been intended for the royal children._

_When she reached the hospital, Lee stopped in front of her, making her stumble. She still wasn't at full strength yet._

"_Star, who are those rangers? I don't remember KO-35 having a red ranger, or a silver one! And isn't cousin Zhane bonded to silver?" He hissed._

Star blinked underneath her helmet. Sometimes Lee didn't seem like a four year old.

_She looked where he was pointing, and had trouble seeing straight. He was right, there were two rangers on the holo-screen, one red, and the other one silver._

She tried to tell herself it didn't mean anything, and demorphed. She needed to see a medic. He confirmed what Astronema had told her, and removed the affected organs.

She got better, and soon rejoined the Rogue rangers. She told them she had been hospitalised, but not what for, or anything else. More time passed. Then, when Star was fourteen, she received the second worst news ever.

Phantom walked into Star's room, to see her looking at a database she had hacked into to find out about Madres, and to try learn some more about their family history.

He sat down on the bed next to her. "Who are you?" He asked suddenly.

"Star, Rogue ranger."

"Where are you from?"

"I was born on a planet, but I am a nomad of the galaxies. I have no true origin."

"Who are your parents?"

"I have none."

"What are you?"

"Half Madres, half Terran. I am a Rogue ranger, a princess of Madre, a sister to Phantom and Lee, a technologic sorceress, a cousin to Zhane and Emma, and many other things besides."

"Do you have any friends?"

"Astronema, heir of Dark Spectre, Catalina Binx from the Spanish village of Felix, Lee, Eclipse and Phantom of Madre, Billy Cranston, Trini Kwan, Jason Lee Scott, Zack Taylor, and Davis Butler, the butler."

"When was the last time you saw any of them, excluding the ones on the Rogue Voyager?"

" Three years ago. Why are you asking me all these questions?"

Phantom looked at his sister and asked his final question. "Who am I?"

"The Rogue Phantom Ranger, my brother. What's wrong already?"

"Don't you remember life before Dad was killed? Before Nanny Mcphee? Before Mara married that monster? Before Australia, Spain, Japan, and any of this? Your name was Ashley Hammond. Then it was Ashlyn Starr, then Tesia Rogue, then Jahida Madre, and now it's Star. We can't live like this anymore. Now I'm eighteen I can take care of you, under our own names. We could live normal lives again. Finally."

Star closed down her holo-screen.

"We can't take Lee." She said.

Phantom raised his eyebrows, just as Eclipse walked through the door. Both had changed drastically over the years. Eclipse's hair now reached her waist, while Phantom's had darkened, and it was kept in as short a cut his female relatives would allow. Both were fairly good looking, although not model like.

"Why not?" Eclipse asked her voice lightly tainted with all the languages she had learned.

"Because if he gets a Madre specific disease like I did, we wouldn't be able to save him.

Stop at the Monar System, they have a number of Madre refuge families that have colonized on the edge. He would be taught how to develop his powers, and how to control them.

Plus, they probably have the most knowledge on healthcare for Madre hybrids in the universe, seeing as most of the families stayed on other planets for a while, and had children with the natives. That's one of the reasons single parents are so common on the colony." Star informed them.

Phantoms eyebrows were in danger of disappearing into his hairline, while Eclipse looked at Star strangely.

Star shrugged. "It was on the database."

**LATER**

When they arrived at the colony, Star almost passed out when she saw who was at the Sky port.

"Catalina?" She asked tentatively. "Is that you?"

The homely Spanish beauty smiled, her freckled face as innocent looking as a child's, and her eyes the same warm brown as ever. Her hair was a dark brown, although now it had a single black stripe down one side.

"Yes. Do I know you?" Catalina asked, in confusion.

"Tesia Rogue."

Catalina gasped. "Tesia, the olive farmer's helper?"

Star nodded, and pulled her old friend aside. Three hours later, her life story had been told, and Catalina (who could turn into a cat) had taken Lee in. Her Terran father hadn't been able to cope with her being half alien, and the truth had come out when she developed Mycenae, shortly before her mother had taken her to the colony. It was very common among hybrids, not as common in pure Madres.

Star quickly updated her friend on Mycenae. Since Kerovan humans were basically Madres who wouldn't let their own powers develop in favour of telekinesis and telepathy, it was attacking them as well, although the illness wasn't as quickly advancing as it was in hybrids.

The medics on KO-35 had taught Star that much. Now though, KO-35 had been abandoned, and she had no idea where the rebel groups were.

After a long, tearful goodbye to Lee, Star dyed her hair, and became Ashley Hammond again. Only one difference, the old Ashley Hammond had been a sweet, innocent child who had died the day her father had. The new one had killed a man, stolen to save her own life, travelled the universe and learned she would never be able to have the one thing she had always taken for granted.

How much could one girl take?

When Ashley had to visit her mother, she found out that she could take a lot before she snapped.


	7. Final Flashback

**A/N Hey, Thanks for reviewing Ghost-Writer and AH/AY. Could somebody please give me an idea for Emma's Major? She can speak Japanese andSpanish, and she had good organisation skills, if it helps any.**

_'Damn Social Workers.' Ashley thought, as she walked to her mother's new home. 'I can't believe they're making me visit Mara once a month until I'm 18! I practically raised myself for six and a half years; I don't need her to look after me now! Besides, last I heard she blamed us for the breakdown of her finances and marriage. Why would she want visitation rights?'_

_As she walked into the apartment building Mara lived in, Ashley tried to work it out. The things she came up with were either extremely unlikely, or very negative._

_All of a sudden, a pale woman stepped out from the shadows, pointing a gun at Ashley's head. Ashley looked at the woman and her heart skipped a few beats._

_She was in a classic shooting stance, with the gun quite far away from her body, being held by one hand. This told Ashley that the woman wasn't a professional killer or anything like that, because if that were the case, the gun would be held closer to the body, making it slightly harder to aim, but also making it practically impossible to knock the gun away._

_The fact only one hand held the gun showed that the woman had no idea Ashley was more than just an innocent teenage girl, so that ruled out almost all of the villains she had faced over the years, because only a few of them would be so cocky when faced with someone like Star._

_Ashley put her hands up slowly, trying to place the woman. She was extremely thin, with greasy red hair that hung to her shoulders, and grimy skin. She wore an extremely ill fitting, dirty white suit, and her wedding ring was practically falling off her finger. Her eyes were a strange, haunting blue, and they bulged out of her face slightly, her face was that gaunt._

_Ashley suddenly realised who she was dealing with. "Mara!" She gasped._

_Mara hissed, and glared at her daughter. "It's all your fault. All yours, and your brother's fault. Not mine, it's your fault he left me._

_Everything would have been fine if you hadn't told Hubble those bad lies. Bad lies mean you're a bad girl, and I have to punish you. My duty, I'm happy to do it. Get rid of a nasty little girl, the world's better off. Then he'll come back. It's your fault he's gone. If you're not there, he'll come back. We'll be happy ever after. Need to get rid of you first." Mara babbled._

_Ashley felt her heart sink as she realized she was trapped on a stairwell with an anorexic madwoman._

_So, she did the only thing she could, and slapped the gun away from Mara. Mara yelped in surprise, and backhanded Ashley, who used the momentum to do a spin kick._

_Ashley began to run down the stairwell as soon as she saw that Mara was down on the floor, knowing the woman probably still wanted to kill her. She was right._

_Just as Ashley reached the door, there was a gunshot, and a searing pain in her shoulder. The bullet hit the door in front of her, and Ashley realised it had gone straight through._

_Not letting herself panic, she kept running. After all, it wasn't the first time she had been shot. A minute later, Ashley stumbled into a Doctors surgery, knowing that they would probably have enough medical training to stop the bleeding, and that she was losing blood quickly, so there was no way she could get to the hospital in time._

_"Hello, can I help you?" The receptionist asked, not looking up at the newcomer. "Appointments only."_

_Ashley looked at the long line of people waiting to see the doctor. As far as she could see, most of them were there for flu jabs or check ups._

_"This is an emergency." She said. "And I'm losing blood as we speak lady."_

_The receptionist looked up and gasped when she saw the blood seeping through Ashley's yellow T-shirt. "What happened?" She asked._

_"A bullet went straight through, and I ran here. And I need to see the doctor NOW!" Ashley yelled, scared. It was dawning on her that her alertness was slipping away as quickly as her blood._

_Things began to go blurry after that, although she began repeating all the names of people she knew to try and stay awake._

_"Jefferson Fenton. Zander Madre. Jiri Rogue. Jeff Hammond, my brother and guardian. Emily Ecliptic. Hifza Madre. Georgia Rogue. Emma Hammond, my cousin. Astronema, Davis Butler, Catalina Binx, Trini Kwan, Billy Cranston, Zack Taylor, Jason Lee Scott. My friends. I'm Ashley Hammond." That was what she began to say, although she was so focused on these words that the rest of the world began to slip away. So she wasn't aware of someone stopping the bleeding, or being carried into an ambulance, or anything until three hours later, when she was pumped full of sleeping gas. When she woke up, it was to the sight of Trini, Billy, Zack and Jason sitting next to her hospital bed._

_"Hi guys." She said hoarsely. "Water please?"_

_Trini helped her up, while Jason ran to get a nurse._

_Zack stepped forward and raised a cup of water to his friend's lips._

_"You really freaked us out there Ashlyn. Or is it Ashley these days?" He asked casually._

_Ashley drank some of the water. "Hey, I told you guys every time I changed my name what my old one was. Sorry I didn't tell you my real name till later."_

_Billy sat down again. "It is perfectly acceptable. You were uncertain that we could be told safely, as you hypothesized that there may have been a police tracker on the computer systems of places you may have been linked to."_

_Ashley smiled at Billy, grateful he understood._

_"Say what?" Zack asked._

_"Billy said it's okay. I wasn't sure it was safe to tell you over the internet because I thought that the police could have put a program on the internet that would let them trace any emails with my name in it, especially on computers in cities that I might have been seen in." Ashley translated, getting in before Trini had to._

_Zack nodded his head, like it had been obvious and he had just missed it._

_"Why are you guys here anyway? Not that I don't want you here, but I wasn't expecting you guys to be here. I thought you guys would be with your friend, Kim."_

_"She's busy, and Jeff and Emma didn't want you to wake up without a familiar face around." Jason said from the doorway, as he walked back into the room. "We told them to go home and take a day off."_

_Ashley frowned as the nurse began to check if she had a concussion, and various other things._

_"A day off? How long have I been out?" She asked, before saying aaah, like the nurse told her to._

_"Six days, seventeen hours and fifty five minutes." Billy said._

_Ashley stared at him for several moments, before saying. "Better tell my house mates I'm awake."_

_The nurse smiled at her brightly. "No need, we have already informed your mother."_

Ashley had began swearing in fluent Japanese. When she cooled down, she told the nurse in no uncertain terms who had shot her. Despite this, the social worker who came in later only agreed to let Ashley stay with in Angel Grove because her mother was an unhealthy weight, therefore a bad role model for an impressionable young girl, while Jeff was studying Peace at Angel Grove university, and Emma was enrolled in a local college part time, while earning money by teaching self defence.

Billy and the others promised to stay in touch, but it was difficult for them, as they were almost four years older than her, and in different schools than her. But Zack still gave her dancing lessons, and she taught him basic martial arts, while Billy was her only source of friendly competition when it came to technology debates. Trini was the person who taught her to stand up for what she believed in, and Jason was the big brother she never wanted. In a good way of course, because it was nice to have someone interrogate her about her boyfriends, and be protective of her.

Her father couldn't, and Jeff thought she was a big girl and could take care of herself.

Jason just warned her to be careful, and to tell him if a boy ever hurt her, so he could take care of it.

When Ashley was better, she briefly met Kimberly Hart, but only briefly. They both had another place to be, so it was a very quick meeting. They probably wouldn't recognise each other if they met again.

Two weeks before The Day her social worker was due to come around and decide if Ashley could or couldn't stay in the renovated hotel her Grandma had bought for the three (even though only two were her grandchildren), Ashley became a turbo ranger.

The next day, TJ called and said his cousin on his father's side lived there, and he asked if he could stay there while he was in Angel Grove. Both his parents had been killed in a random drive by shooting.

He was given a room immediately, and he was soon absorbed into the daily routine that somehow managed to work.

Meanwhile, Ashley took Auto Shop to help her with a project she had been working on since they had moved into the hotel they had hidden the original RV (the second one was the Rogue Voyager). She was combining the RV's rooms into the large battleship.

She found it difficult to adjust to the simplicity of Earths vehicles after so long in Space, but she was soon fixing the Zords with no trouble at all.

Eventually, the RV battleship was ready, only two weeks after they became Astro rangers. The rooms inside were pirate themed, because the Rogues had never truly let go of their 'thing', as evidenced by the Phantom Cutlass.

Ashley kept her hair in its unnatural colour by using magical hair dye, which was more like a semi permanent illusion, which vanished after two months.

As Ashley returned to the present day land of consciousness, her nightmares began to take hold, now she was in a subconscious state rather than a dreamless one.

Sabrina woke up when Ashley began to scream in her sleep. The sound seemed to echo against the walls, and inside Sabrina's head. There were no words, just the endless scream of someone who can't take much more pain.

Sabrina began to try waking her friend up. "WAKE UP!" She yelled, over and over, eventually slapping Ashley across the face.

Ashley's eyes snapped open, and she saw her fellow Astro rangers at the door, and Sabrina looking as scared as she had ever been.

Ashley looked at TJ, then at the clock on one wall. It was Carlos who had suggested putting an 'Angel Grove' clock in every room, and at the moment, she was grateful.

" Is that clock right?" Ashley asked, paling drastically when DECA told her it was, and when everyone from Earth nodded.

"WE MISSED IT!" Ashley screamed.

Sabrina jumped back, and moved so she was next to Cassie.

"What's she talking about?" She asked. Cassie shrugged.

"I DON'T WANT TO LIVE WITH MARA, SHE SHOT ME! Don't let her get custody! Please, please don't let her get custody!" Ashley yelled, jumping out of bed and grabbing TJ by the jacket.

TJ looked like someone who had been hit over the head. "Mara shot you?" He asked incredulously.

"I was fourteen, it doesn't matter. What does, is me going and getting the excuse the house mates gave the Social, then confirming it." Ashley said, releasing her cousin.

"Come on, we've got to get changed into clothes that have no individuality whatsoever. That way, Mrs. S can't fault them."

Ashley was about to run to her room, when she suddenly remembered she had a guest.

"Hi Sabrina, see you later okay?" She smiled, giving her a hug. "Same to the rest of you. BYE!"

And with that, she ran as fast as she could to her room.

Carlos looked after her worriedly. "Who's Mara?" He asked.

"Her mother." TJ and Sabrina answered, before TJ began to run to his room.

Everyone still there looked at each other, feeling a little out of their depth. Then Andros turned to Sabrina. "How long have you had that locket?" He asked.

Sabrina clutched it instinctively. "As long as I can remember. What's it to you?"

Andros showed her his locket, and opened it. When Sabrina saw the pictures inside she did the only sensible thing she could think of.

She fainted.


	8. Possibilty

**A/N Does anyone have any idea what Emma should Major in? Thanks for reviewing!**

Ashley limped into the Med Bay, knowing that she needed to stop the heavy blood flow from her leg. TJ was still on Earth, gathering up bits and pieces that they wanted to keep with them, and putting it all in the RV.

She stopped short at the sight of Andros, sitting by a bed. Where Sabrina was sleeping.

"What's going on?" She asked, hoping he didn't notice her leg.

"She might be Karone." Andros said, without more than a glance in Ashley's direction. Then he looked at her again, taking in the state of her yellow sundress, and the gash just below and behind her knee. He could see that it almost reached her bone.

"What happened?" He demanded, picking Ashley up bridal style, and gently depositing her on the bed next to Sabrina's.

Ashley flinched as he began to wrap a bandage around her leg. "Nothing much." She answered cheerfully.

Andros strapped a regenerator to the bandage, which was rapidly turning red. "Nothing much?" He echoed. "Ash, I haven't seen an injury this bad in two years. You can't tell me nothing much happened."

Ashley met his gaze defiantly. "I just did."

Andros stared back coldly. "Then tell me the truth, instead of lying."

Their staring contest lasted five minutes.

Ashley, realising that she was a little out of touch with the stubborn side of her personality, sighed and lowered her eyes. She really had to remember how to stand up for herself against someone she trusted. She was out of practice.

"Mara was at the Social Services office. She was saying that since Emma and Jeff couldn't keep track of me, they were too irresponsible to look after me properly, and she should get custody. I started a fight, I know I shouldn't have, but I lost my temper.

I started yelling she hadn't even tried to keep track of me while I was gone; Jeff and Emma knew I was out with friends because I had left them a note. They just didn't know where, or which friends, although they had an idea." Ashley stopped, trying to get her emotions in check.

"That doesn't explain how you got that cut." Andros pointed out, trying to get Ashley to open up. (How ironic;)

"She pulled out a knife, and I had to fight back. She was aiming for my heart, so I did a flip to dodge her, but the knife caught the back of my leg. I was boxed into a corner, so there wasn't anything else I could have done to avoid her.

TJ's on Earth packing up our stuff so we can get it up here easily in the RV shuttle ship. I'm so used to social services, I know what they'll do before they do. In about an hour, they'll be at our house, and they'll put TJ and me into carebecause Mara made a good point, but not with good reason.So, buh bye Ashley Hammond, hello Ashlyn Starr! TJ is Jay Lightning from now on."

Andros put his hand under her chin and raised her head, forcing her to look at him. "Why those names?" He asked, looking her in the eye to see if she was lying.

Ashley looked right back. "I've been Ashlyn Starr before, and Sabrina would be happy to let me borrow her surname again. For TJ, it's a little harder to make a name, so I just took the second letter of his nickname and the first name of his Rescue Zord, the Lightning Fire Tamer."

Sabrina stirred next to them, and Andros realised he hadn't moved his hand. He jumped back, blushing, and stood nearby Sabrina's bed, not realising Ashley had just told a small white lie.

Ashley looked at her friend, remembering Andros's earlier comment. "Who's Karone?" She asked.

"My sister." Andros whispered.

Ashley blinked, and tried to see something, ANYTHING that might make him think he was related to the Princess of Evil. Okay, they had similar complexions. Sabrina wasn't dressed as Astronema, and she had on a locket. That was identical to the one around Andros's neck.

The lockets! Why in the name of Vero hadn't she realised it before! Astronema… Sabrina had showed her the picture countless times, but she hadn't made the connection between a stripy haired, telekinetic boy in a red jumpsuit from a planet that wasn't Earth, and a stripy haired, telekinetic, teenage red ranger of KO-35!

Ashley felt like hitting her head against the nearest hard surface. She was a Rogue ranger for crying out loud; she was supposed to notice these things!

Sabrina's eyes snapped open, and she jumped out of the bed, crashing into Andros.

As the possible siblings untangled themselves from the medical equipment, Ashley wondered if she should leave them alone for a little while.

'Nope.' She decided. "Sabrina, Andros here thinks you might be his sister Karone. Any comment, or do you want me to rationalize things for you?"

Sabrina froze. "I thought that was a dream."

Ashley laughed. "No such luck."

"Rationalize things for me. Away from your team-mates." Sabrina answered.

"Paranoid much? Okay Andros, if you could help me up, Sabrina and I will go to my room." Ashley decided.

Andros nodded his head slowly. "Wait, how about we do the DNA test now. The results should be back in about an hour or so that way."

Sabrina consented, and a swab was taken from her mouth, while another one was taken from Andros's.

"Ash, why can't you walk?" Sabrina asked.

"Open wound." She answered. "Mara. Don't want to talk about it."

Before Sabrina/Astronema/Karone could reply, Andros picked Ashley up again, bridal style. Ashley wrapped an arm around his shoulders so she could balance better, and rested her head against that arm.

Sabrina walked behind them, and in this fashion, the three walked down the hallways, to Ashley's room.

Andros wasn't a fool, and he was trying to work out why Ashley was acting differently, and when she might have had to use the name Ashlyn Starr.

**Maybe she wanted to be Sabrina's sister or something, and she acted differently so she could fit into the family. No, that doesn't work. Ashley started acting strangely this morning, and it was because of something bad. An old friend coming back to town wouldn't be something bad, would it?**

**TJ called today The Day when he realised Ashley wasn't herself, so it could be something that happens regularly. What are social services anyway? Maybe that's the whole reason she's upset. Her mother seems to have a lot to do with it too. I'll ask Cassie and Carlos. They should know, they're her best friends.**

Andros blinked, realising he was in front of Ashley's room. Ashley told DECA to open the door, so he walked in and placed her on her bunk, being careful not to move the regenerator.

He was vaguely aware of himself saying goodbye to the two girls in his usual manner (cold indifference), but he was too submerged in his thoughts to really be aware of anything. He did know that he made his way to the bridge on autopilot, and sank down onto his chair.

**What was she talking about, the RV shuttle ship? Ashley must have been affected by the blood loss. Why did Sabrina specifically ask that they speak away from the rest of us? Ashley can't have a secret or something, can she? The girl never stops talking.**

**_Or maybe_ she's pretending, and today, the mask slipped. I always wondered how she knew how to fight so well, when technically she's a gymnast and a dancer, not a martial artist. But why would she hide something like that? And the others say she caught on to auto shop really quickly, and soon started helping out in the Power Chamber and the Zord bay.**

**She's also too skilled with the megaship's technology, last week she stopped me making a mistake in repairs. But why hide something like that? And how did she and Sabrina meet? And why didn't she want me to see her injury, did she think I would think she was weak or something?**

Andros was surprised at how much that thought hurt him.

**I should really stop thinking up more questions, and start getting some answers to the ones I have. **He decided, before asking DECA to explain what Social services was.


	9. Facts

**A/N If you're one of the 17 people who have already read the chapter, go to the line of X's, it's where I've added to the chapter. **

**Ghostwriter- Thanks for reviewing every chapter**

**AH/AY- Thanks; here's a short update. It doesn't fit in with the next chapter, and it's too short to be a chapter on its own.**

**_VOTE! _What should TJ's name and power be? I have vague ideas but they aren't that good. Just so you know, Lee is Rogue Storm, and he can control the weather. Emma still doesn't have a major, so I'm giving up on asking you lot, and asking Ice Fata!**

Once Andros had closed the door behind him, Ashley turned to her friend as best as she could. "So…. What do you think of this?"

"It's a trick." Sabrina guessed. "They want me on your side."

Ashley cocked her head. "One problem. They don't know who you are."

Sabrina tried again. "You could have told them."  
"Why in the name of Vero would I want to do that?" Ashley demanded. "They wouldn't trust me. They have to think I'm Ashley Hammond."

"Aren't you?"

"No. Ashley Hammond was an innocent child who died with her father. I've changed so much under different names that I could pass my old Nannies on the street and they wouldn't recognise me. AND I PUT THEM THROUGH HELL! Three of them quit being Nannies, six of them went into an institution, and the other three tried to hire hit men to kill me!" Ashley laughed, cruelly. She didn't want to remember all the horrible things she did, it made her want to cry. She couldn't remember how to cry.

Sabrina was quiet for a moment. "We don't look anything alike, and I don't look like the girl in the locket."

Ashley blinked, then realised her friend was talking about Andros. "Sweetie, ever heard of _Mycenae_? It changes your appearance, but it isn't always as drastic as your brother's or mine. And you have similar skin tones, you're both as stubborn as hell, and he has the stripy hair your brother did."

"He killed my family when I was five years old." Sabrina pointed out.

"So you've been told. He was seven years old at the time."

Sabrina was silent for a moment. "Why don't I remember anything?"

"Brainwashing. Memory wiping. Memory repression." Ashley listed, and she would have gone on, but Sabrina threw a pillow at her.

"I'm a sorceress. A naturally powerful, spell casting, staff wielding sorceress. He's a Kerovan."

"Did you know that Kerovans are basically Madres who don't let their natural powers develop? If you are Karone, then it's possible that your telekinesis training was stopped early on, so you never adapted to it, and your own powers developed." Ashley said, like she was reading out of a textbook.

Sabrina slumped in her chair. "Damn you. Why didn't you tell me that all those years ago, and why are you speaking like a bad holoscreen actress playing a professor?"

"I found out while I was in recovery." Ashley smirked.

"Is there any way I can get my memory back? If I am Karone, that is." Sabrina asked.

Ashley stood up, and kept one hand on her regenerator. "Follow me." She said.

Sabrina laughed. "Ash that could take all of a solar year. Don't you guys have wheelchairs or something?"

Ashley shook her head, so Sabrina called her wrath staff, grimacing when she saw the symbol. A click of her fingers, and the staff was a wand, with a plain gold diamond shape on the end, as opposed to the mean face. A whirl of her wand, and there was an instant wheel chair in the room.

Ashley pouted. "I want your power, mine's boring. Oh, thanks for waiting to see if there was any cause for alarm DECA. I really appreciate it."

Sabrina looked panicked for a moment. "Your AI sees everything?"

Ashley nodded as she sat down in the chair. "Pretty much. But thanks to my powers, we've pretty much come to an understanding."

Sabrina nodded unsurely, and with Ashley giving directions, they made their way to the simudeck, where Ashley began to type in access codes to a program that not even Andros knew about. That was probably because she had created it.

Ashley and Sabrina went into the simudeck.

"DECA, activate Program juusan, user code estrella, password already stated." Ashley commanded.

The black and green gridlines of the simudeck faded away, and the two girls were in a bedchamber of sorts. Everything was a ranger colour, and not just Rogue ranger. There was green, pink, silver, red, blue, pink, yellow, purple, black, orange, gold, white, and just about every colour imaginable. Luckily, the walls were yellow, and it was the ceiling that was colourful. The drapes were rainbow colours, and the king sized bed was grey.

"Sit down." Ashley said, and Sabrina found herself obeying without a second thought, crossing her legs and leaning against the headrest of the bed. Ashley sat in front of her friend, and began to explain.

"If technology was used in your brainwashing, I can undo it. I just need to call on the power, and I need to be near as many colours as possible to make it easier. Technological is a form of specialized sorcery, so I can do this, even though most sorceresses can't. The fact I'm a ranger and a princess helps me to lower the risk involved until it isn't even there."

"I didn't understand a single word of what you just said, but okay." Sabrina said, perfectly seriously.

"Close your eyes and tilt your head forward."

Sabrina did so, and felt Ashley hands on either side of her head. Ashley began to hum a strange tune. It seemed familiar, but it wasn't. Then the air around the two girls began to move in streams, flowing into Ashley's hands, and into Sabrina.

Had Sabrina been able to see, she would have known that once Ashley began to hum her little tune, the colours on the ceiling, and everywhere in the room began to separate from the objects they coloured, leaving nothing but pure darkness behind. The colours began to flow towards the two girls in streams of magic, and into Ashley's hands. Her hands began to flash, glow in one colour before changing into another, as she sent her power into Sabrina, in the shape of her spirit.

Ashley searched for a block, and mentally recoiled when she found it. It was made of pure evil magic, but the block had been put there by technology. The ribbons of colour that made up Ashley's spiritual form inside Sabrina's mind began to unwind and gently tease the block away, before taking it out of Sabrina and destroying it. Ashley went back into her body, and removed her hands from Sabrina's head.

Sabrina's eyes snapped open, and she began to cry helplessly as her memories returned. She couldn't help it, Ecliptor had lied to her for years, she had tried to kill her brother, she didn't know who she was, and her childhood had been snatched away from her by Darkonda. Crying seemed like her only option.

Ashley pulled her friend into a hug, holding her and rubbing her back. She didn't say anything, for which Sabrina was grateful.

When Sabrina's sobs died down, she pulled away and asked the question she had never realised she had wanted to ask.

"How do you do it Star?"

Ashley looked back calmly. "Do what?"

"Cope with the lies, all the things you've done, the whole childhood being cut short thing, not knowing who you are, and knowing whose fault it is, but not being able to do ANYTHING about it?" Sabrina cried, breaking down in a fresh flood of tears.

"Other people lying to me, I just try to work out their motive, and vent my anger on a punching bag. I try to make up for the bad things I've done, plus the punching bag. I dealt with the end of my childhood because I had no other options. A punching bag helped.

You do know who you are, because you're you. The fact you've just had a revelation about your heritage doesn't change that, although you _can_ keep the name Sabrina if you don't think you can be Astronema or Karone anymore. The fact you can't do anything, you get frustrated, plot their deaths, and hit a punching bag." Ashley said, sadly.

Sabrina ran out of tears. "What is it with you and punching bags?"

"What is it with your bad temper and Scrudly getting dessert?"

"Good point, it lets out bottled up anger and aggression."

Ashley smiled and began to walk to the door, awkwardly.

"Chair!" Sabrina called, drying her tears.

Ashley sank into her wheel chair, and ended simulation. "DECA, docking code Estrella Picaro, authorisation Hoshi Gorotsuki."

Sabrina looked confused. "Say what?"

"TJ's docking the RV, and he didn't have the codes. I had to give them." Ashley explained.

Sabrina was the first to realize a major flaw in Ashley's reasoning. "Star, didn't you make the shuttle so that only Royal Madres can drive it?"

Ashley let her powers search the RV. "He's driving it by himself." She whispered.

She began to scan all of DECA's records on TJ, her eyes glowing, yellow pupils surrounded by purple irises. To her shock, she saw a DNA test taken just before his parents' death. His father had wanted to prove his wife had been unfaithful…

And she had been. According to the DNA test, TJ wasn't Emma's cousin. They had thought that his father was her mother's brother, but the truth was, his biological father was Ignacio Hammond! He was Emma's half brother, and cousin to Jeff, Lee and Ashley.

Ashley groaned heavily, as the facts started running through her head. Her grandmother had been the Queen of Madre, and she had had two children by her first husband, Ignacio and Elvin. Her husband had died in a sky port collapse, and she had married again. Her daughter, Jena had been born. Then the planet was destroyed and Jena fled to KO-35, while the other two had fled to Earth and become successful businessmen. Jena had died in childbirth to her son Zhane, Elvin had married and donated sperm. Elvin had two children with Mara, and one child by an evil scientist who used the donated sperm, while Ignacio had gotten married to TJ's aunt Afryea, and had Emma. However, he also slept with Afryea's sister-in-law on her brother's side, resulting in TJ.

There was also the little matter of them being from another planet and having powers. Plus all the things they had done as Rogue rangers, why they became Rogue rangers, their powers, and a million other things.

Ashley was not looking forward to explaining this one.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She leant against the wall next to the RV command room, and waited for her cousin to come out. When he did, she smiled slightly.

"Hey Teej. What do you think of the RV?" Ashley smiled.

"It's a great ship, and are you sure it's not connected to the Power? I knew how to drive it, even though there's no way I could have!" TJ grinned enthusiastically.

"Did you get everything?" Ashley asked.

"Down to the doll." He assured.

Ashley walked into 'her' room, and picked up Stripes, who was still wearing the silver and purple striped dress that she had worn on the Christmas Ashley got her.

The necklace was still there, only different There was stillan Emerald, Ruby and an Amethyst attached to a silver chain, except now there was also a sapphire and a milky, orange opal. Ashley turned the necklace around, and Rain wasn't there.

"TJ, have you ever had a nickname that you couldn't explain, it just felt right?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah. It was…"

"Tell me later. Take a seat, and I'll tell you why it felt right." Ashley said. The next three hours of her time were spent explaining everything she knew about their heritage to TJ, and giving him the shortest, most condensed version of her life as possible.

TJ, much to his credit, actually believed her, and didn't interrupt as often as Astronema had when Ashley had explained 'the life of a Rogue princess' to her.

He didn't even faint when she unloaded bombshell after bombshell on him.

"Come on Teej, lets go get something from the synthatron." Ashley said finally, and dragged him out of her bedroom and down the hall to the Hangar Bay. She hoped Andros didn't notice that the Megaship had an extra hallway, complete with rooms. At least not until she told him…

Wait a minute, what was in the new room she could not remember being there in the shuttle or the RV?

A quick look inside told her it was TJ's new bedroom, complete with a Blue symbol of Madre, and a sapphire on the pillow of the bed.

Walking in, she quickly attached it to a morpher that she found on the bedside table.

"Put this on you wrist, and then twist your wrist like this." Ashley instructed, handing the morpher to TJ.

He did so, and gasped when the morpher melted into his skin. Looking at Ashley for reassurance that his morpher was supposed to do that, he noticed her twist her wrist, and a morpher melted up from her skin.

"Relax, that's supposed to happen." She laughed. "Just don't try to use both morphers at once, it's not fun. Actually, it's very painful being electrocuted by The Power."

"You have a sick sense of humour Star." TJ said glaring at her.

"Who says I'm joking?"


	10. Family Relations

**A/N Never mind, I managed to get TJ a name and power by myself, and Emma's major will remain unknown to all, even me. AH/AY, Ghostwriter,Anonymousand DV2 ****thanks for reviewing. Anyone else who reads my story, REVIEW! I accept anonymous reviews, so you have NO EXCUSE**! **I have a more popular story to co-write, this story is expendable!**

As TJ and Ashley walked into the Hangar bay, they were completely unaware of what was happening in the bridge, which wasn't too far away.

Sabrina had walked into the room crying, much to Andros's astonishment.

"What's wrong?" He asked, afraid something had happened.

"I was talking to Ashley, an, and…" Sabrina sobbed.

"And?"

"I am Karone! He lied to me!" She wailed.

Andros didn't have any experience whatsoever in comforting hysterical teenage girls, so he did the only thing he could think of. He pulled his little sister into his arms, patting her back awkwardly as she emptied her tear ducts.

Eventually, her sobs quieted to hiccups, and he released her. "DECA, _is_ she Karone?"

"Affirmative Andros." DECA answered.

The girl in question wiped her eyes, and looked up at the boy she now knew as her big brother. "I'm still Sabrina." She said.

"As long as you're my sister too." Andros bargained.

"Deal." They shook hands.

"Andros?" Sabrina asked tentatively.

"Yes Sabrina?"

"Can you tell me about KO-35?"

Andros started. "I never said anything, how do you know about it? Do you remember anything?"

Sabrina thought fast. "Ashley said you were from the Kerova system, and she told me which planet."

Andros didn't quite believe her, but made no further comment. "Who lied to you?" He asked, suddenly.

Sabrina looked down at her feet, as she followed Andros. "The closest thing I've had to a father since Darkonda took me from the park."

"Wait a minute, it was Darkonda?"

"Ashley recognised the description I gave her. She was talking me through my memories." Sabrina lied.

Again, Andros had the feeling that she wasn't telling the truth, but said nothing of it. Instead, he let his mind wander.

Just as the siblings were about to enter the hangar bay, Sabrina asked. "Do you like Ashley?"

Andros froze and turned to his long lost sister. "Of course I do. She is a great asset to the rangers, when she remains in control of her emotions."

Sabrina shook her head empathically. "Do you like Ashley as more than a friend?"

"Who says she's my friend?" Andros said coldly, unaware that Ashley and TJ could hear every word the siblings said.

Meanwhile Inside The Hangar Bay 

"So, what is your inexplicable nickname?" Ashley asked, putting a cheeseburger and a soda down on the table.

"Shadow." TJ answered, wolfing down his own meal.

"Rogue Shadow. I wonder what your weapon is." Ashley mused, pushing her plate away, and tapping TJ's wrist, indicating his hidden morpher.

TJ glanced at her plate pointedly, eyebrows raised. "Don't you eat?"

"I'll be back to normal tomorrow, I promise."

TJ smiled, mock threateningly. "I'll hold you to that. And about the weapon thing, I'm more interested in what my power is."

Ashley thought for a moment, before taking out a laptop type thing from the panel under the synthatron. Her eyes flashed, then she began searching for a power.

"Spirits." She answered his question. "I'm in tune with technology, you are in tune with supernatural spirits."

"Spirits, as in ghosts?" TJ asked incredulously.

"And nature spirits. A little fine-tuning, and you'll be able to talk to any spirit at will. Like a planet's spirit, guardian angels, spirit guards, ghosts, anything." Ashley answered, her eyes glowing again. "You could do that now, but you'd have to talk out loud. A little practise, and you'll be able to talk to them mentally. As in, inside your own head."

"Cool." TJ said, just as they heard Sabrina's voice. They listened to the conversation with interest, both of them wondering if Sabrina had told Andros she was Astronema. Ashley really had told TJ everything, even the things she hadn't told Jeff and Emma.

That was how they heard Andros deny his friendship with Ashley.

"He's not worth it Star." TJ whispered, seeing his cousin was extremely hurt by Andros's comment.

"It still hurts. Thanks for trying to cheer me up though Shadow." Ashley answered, just as quietly as he had spoken.

The two remained silent until Andros spoke from the doorway.

"Oh, hey you two. I thought you would be asleep. Ashley, how's your leg?" He said.

"Fine. I took the regenerator off two hours ago." Ashley answered, avoiding his eye.

"Good." Andros said, wondering what was wrong.

All was quiet until TJ slapped his forehead, as a completely random thought pooped into his head. "We didn't tell Jeff or Emma!"

Ashley went pale. It seemed to be the fashion for her lately. "DECA, prepare a communications channel to Hammond residence, Angel Grove. We'll take it in my room."

She tugged on TJ's arm when it became apparent he wasn't going to move of his own accord. "Teej, what's the matter?"

"They're going to kill us." He pointed out.

"We're not going down to Earth unmorphed until our ranger days are over, or until we're eighteen. How can they kill especially when we throw in the new little detail!" Ashley half yelled, exasperated.

"Which room again?"

"Yellow Astro ranger's room."

TJ smiled slightly. "DECA, open all doors between here and Ashley's room. Last one there's a piranathon!"  
The two Rogues raced out of the Hangar Bay as fast as they could.

Sabrina looked after them. "Are they always like that?"

Andros smiled slightly. "No. Well, not as bad as that."

Sabrina walked over to the food Ashley had left behind, untouched. "Ashley was upset about something to do with you. What could that be?"

Andros shrugged. "I didn't notice she was upset."

"I think she heard you."

"Heard me what?"

"Say she wasn't your friend."

Andros felt his heart sink into his boots.

XXXXX

"Hey Emma." Ashley said, when her cousin answered the phone.

"OH MY GOD ASHLEY! WHAT HAPPENED?" Emma screamed.

Ashley sighed, and quickly told her (and Jeff, because he picked up the extension) that she and TJ wouldn't be on Earth for a while, and she told them what had happened in Social Services.

"By the way, there's one more thing." Ashley said, trying to work out how to put it.

TJ pulled the microphone towards him. "It's to do with me. Ashley told me everything about the Rogue Rangers."

"ASHLEY ARE YOU COMPLETELY INSANE?" Jeff yelled.

"Why did you tell him?" Emma asked.

Ashley smiled slightly, imagining the look on Emma's face.

"TJ is a Rogue. Your half brother Eclipse." She said, gently.

TJ and Ashley moved away from the speakers.

"My Dad?" Emma asked.

"Yeah."

"Yet another affair. I wonder if Mom knew about this one? TJ, as far as I know, you're the only other kid of my dad's. Mom made him have a vasectomy so he would be able to end his affairs with no strings. She just took them in her stride." Emma started crying on the other end of the line.

The two spaceward bound Rogues were stunned into silence. They had expected Emma to start screaming.

"I always, knew he was a bastard. I'm sorry, that you had to be related, to him Teej." Emma sobbed.

TJ leant towards the mic. "Hey, I got a sister. It's all good." He said.

"Phantom To Emma, Phantom to Emma, do you copy? Rocky Desantos on the porch, I repeat, your boyfriend is on the porch." Jeff suddenly said.

"Bye guys don't be strangers!" Emma hung up.

"She's gone to do her make up and stuff. She's wearing a green Kimono, and they're going to a Chinese restaurant." Jeff informed them.

"They really hit it off, didn't they?" Ashley laughed.

"Yeah. They're both really weird in their own way, they both like martial arts, plus they both speak Spanish. A match made in heaven." Jeff said, sarcastically.

"And it all started with a sparring match in Rocky's Dojo. He said come on bitch in Spanish; she called him a lousy swine in the same language. How much more romantic can you get?" Ashley joked, grinning like an idiot.

She would never forget that look on Rocky's face when he realised he had insulted a great potential employee, who almost mopped the floor with him. He had barely managed to beat her, but he managed, and Emma now worked as a sensei at the Dojo, although she did paper work as well.

TJ shoved Ashley playfully. "You poked Andros, and announced that he was human. Even if it was only to hide the fact you had almost had a heart attack when you saw his hair."

Ashley blushed bright red. "So Jeff, how are things with your exotic goddess?"

Jeff snorted. "You do know she slapped me the one time I called her that, don't you? Anyway, Aisha is fine. I was thinking of asking her to move in with us, to save the rent she would have to spend on an apartment in the city.

It would be great if she said yes, and the university isn't that far away. The plague's over, and her parents moved back to Stone Canyon, but she wanted to live in Angel Grove for some reason, besides getting her vet degree."

"Maybe she likes you more than you think bro!" Ashley teased.

"Goodbye Ashley, goodbye TJ." Jeff said pointedly.

"BYE!" They shouted, hanging up.

They were silent for a moment, before Ashley realized how tired she was.

"Goodnight TJ." She said, yawning.

TJ left the room. "Goodnight Ash."

Ashley changed into her purple pajama trousers and a short yellow nightgown, and then she fell asleep.

She wasn't looking forward to DECA's morning alarm, or having to explain to the others that her mom was a psychopath who wanted to kill her, and that Social Services were hard on her family because they were missing for eight years.

Maybe ifshe was lucky, shewould sleep through the alarm and not have to deal with anything until school was over.


	11. Apology

**A/N I said I would add to the chapter, so go to the bit with too many spaces if you've already read the flashbacks of the dream of her memories. Anyone who can guess what the dream means will get a virtual cookie!**

**Phantom Rogue- It wouldn't be fun if Andros didn't pay! Glad you like the story so far! Here'sthe update you asked for!**

**AH/AY- It's still cool (in my opinion)! Glad you like the story! Here'sthe update you asked for!**

**DV2- Glad you liked the start of thechapter! Here'sthe update you asked for!**

Ashley wasn't lucky. The alarm woke her up, same as it always did. Groaning heavily, she sat up, blinking. She had had another memory dream, and she was more than a little disorientated.

"Where the heck am I?" She mumbled, before the last six and a half years caught up with her. "DECA! How much sleep did I have?"

"Four hours Ashley. Are you well? You did not seem yourself upon awakening." DECA replied.

Ashley frowned as she tried to remember her dream.

FLASHBACK FLASHBACK FLASHBACK FLASHBACK 

Star was scanning Fortress's computer, when she found something unusual. The technology they were using on the kids, even the knowledge they were using to conduct the experiments was far more sophisticated than anything she had ever seen.

As she let her powers discover what it was, a thought struck her. Why had they used her father's DNA, of all the men in the world, to create Lee?

NEXT FLASHBACK NEXT FLASHBACK NEXT FLASHBACK The NASADA shuttle had technology way ahead of any other space shuttle Star knew of, and her father had told her about several. Therefore, that annoying technology pattern couldn't be familiar, because she couldn't have seen it before. So why did she recognise it? NEW FLASHBACK NEW FLASHBACK NEW FLASHBACK 

_The technology outside the Sol galaxy was incredible! When Star encountered a Tech Merchant, he offered her an antique, salvaged from the remains of a palace on an abandoned planet. The planet had been pushed into a different orbit, so nobody knew where it was, and most of the refugees from the planet said it had been destroyed. The Merchant knew better._

_Despite the fact it was an antique, Star recognised the technology pattern as a more complicated and effective version of another she had seen. If only she could remember where she had seen it!_

_She declined his offer, and bought a scanner from him instead, as well as a few more items._

END FLASHBACK END FLASHBACK END FLASHBACK 

"Ashley? Are you alright?" DECA repeated.

Ashley jumped. "Yeah. I had a weird dream last night, I was just trying to remember it."

Ashley sensed the AI's amusement, and hurriedly got dressed. She was not in the mood to deal with smart mouthed computers, especially not one whom controlled almost everything on the ship.

Ashley walked to the Hangar Bay, using her powers rather than her eyes to make sure she didn't walk into anything. Belatedly, she realized TJ, Sabrina and Andros were probably pretty tired too. Her cousin, her best friend, and her ex friend were probably in the same state as her. Why was she mad at Andros again? Ashley was too tired to remember.

She opened her eyes and found herself in front of the Bay. Walking through the doors, she looked around.

Everyone was there, although TJ and Sabrina were nowhere near alert. Andros looked fine.

"Have a nice day at school you guys." Ashley yawned. "If anyone asks, you haven't seen us since we left you early yesterday afternoon."

Cassie and Carlos looked at her strangely.

"TJ and I are on the run from Social." She explained. "All will be explained when I'm actually awake."

Andros looked up, nervously. "Ashley, may I talk with you?"

"Shoot." She said, rubbing her eyes.

"In private." He clarified.

Ashley nodded, and allowed him to lead her into the hallway.

Suddenly remembering why she was angry with him, and she decided to postpone what he wanted to talk about. She wasn't going to cooperate with him if she could help it.

"Why did I pass out yesterday?" She asked.

Andros looked flustered. "A combination of the damage the monster had done, your own tiredness, a lack of food energy, and colour withdrawal. Ashley I…"

"What's colour withdrawal?" Ashley interrupted, even though she knew what it was.

Andros tried to remind himself she wasn't deliberately annoying him. "Have you ever wondered why rangers feel the need to wear their colours? It's because the power in our suits draws a little extra energy from that colour, and if we aren't wearing it, from the coloured power particles in our bloodstream. Ashley, I wanted to say that I'm…"

Ashley didn't let him finish. "Would the power particles show on a blood test?"

Andros groaned mentally. "No, they're far too small to be detected, even with the best scientific equipment in the known universe."

"Then how do you know that they exist?" Ashley asked, before he could begin a new sentence.

'**She isn't trying to annoy me. She isn't trying to annoy me**.** She isn't trying to annoy me.**' Andros thought. "There used to be a scanner that could show the effects of the power in your body, and what it did when you went against what it needed." He explained.

"Why isn't there a scanner now?"  
"Because it was on a planet called Madre, when Madre was destroyed. Even if we could recreate the scanner, it needs to have a fragment of gem power in it, and the gems were lost with the royal family. The fragment would power the scanner for about fifty years, but the gem would re-energise itself after half a second." Andros explained, trying not to grit his teeth.

"Ashley, I'm really sorry."

Ashley played dumb. "About what?"

"Last night. I didn't mean what I said and you are my friend. It's just Sabrina startled me, and I didn't know how to react and… Now I've blown it, haven't I?"

Ashley grinned inside, but kept her face neutral.

"If I am your friend, you have a strange way of showing it. Later." She said, monotonously, and she began walking back to the others.

Andros began cursing himself. He had just alienated one of the few non-comatose friends he had, or so he thought.

Ashley's voice floated down the hall. "Oh, and Andros?"

Andros turned around and tried to act like he hadn't just kicked a wall. "Yeah?"

Ashley smiled brightly. "Apology accepted."

Andros felt relief flood through his body, and he managed his first genuine smile in almost two years, despite the pain in his foot.


	12. Plan

**A/N Clues are already in several chapters! Keep a look out, and try work out what I'm leading up to. You get to Beta readthe lastchapter if you win! Not much of a reward, so you also get a virtual cookie! In this chapter, Ashley's 'secret' is revealed to you guys! I still can't believe nobody even tried to guess it... TRY GUESS WHAT ASHLEY'S TALKING ABOUT!**

**Ghostwriter- So could I! I hate the fact that a few authors, when one half of a pre-couple messes up, have the other one forgive him/her like that! I have seen this done by twenty five different authors, in varying ways! Still, most authors (you included as far as I see) let characters get some form of revenge.**

**Sakura-angel113- Glad you like the story!**

**Nicky- Here's an update! Thank you for the compliment!**

**Phantom Rogue- Hey, they might not actually ask each other out! They probably will though, but after their first date! I have a plan!**

**AH/AY- You helped save the story. Here is an update.**

**DV2- Here's an update!**

Carlos and Cassie had gone to school with strict instructions on what to say if anyone asked after Ashley or TJ.

Sabrina and TJ were the only ones left in the Hangar Bay, as Ashley and Andros had both headed back to their rooms for some sleep. Sabrina and TJ were tired, but they also had had breakfast, and that had given them a little extra energy.

"So…" TJ had begun.

Sabrina smiled awkwardly. "Did Ashley tell you how she met me?"

TJ nodded. "Yes she did, _Astronema_. She also told me what you told her about her future."

Sabrina thought for a moment. "Oh yeah, that, it's a real shame. Ashley would be a great mother. You just had to see her with Lee to know that."

TJ nodded in agreement. "I've never met Lee, but I've seen Ashley with kids. Her maternal instincts are incredible, and her maternal skills are just as great. Kids adore her, and it's obvious she wants a family of her own some day."

"Preferably with Andros. It's unfair, when you think about Ashley's childhood. Ashley has so much love to give yet her own mother didn't. Why is it that Ashley's the one who can't have kids?" Sabrina pointed out.

TJ grinned. "I can't believe it. You've been here for one day, and you've already noticed that they're perfect or each other. If only they would see it, we'd have a perfect ranger couple!"

Sabrina mock frowned suddenly. "TJ, I literally saw that from space."

Chuckling, they headed to their own rooms.

"Hey." TJ said, stopping suddenly. "Where are you sleeping?"

"Andros thinks I'm staying in a guest room. I'm staying in Ashley's purple room." Sabrina explained, heading towards the 'Rogue' corridor.

TJ thought of something else. "Hey Sabrina, have you thought about what you're going to do about your 'other' life?"

Sabrina looked back at him worriedly. "A little, but I want to talk to you and Ashley about it before I make any decisions."

And with that, TJ walked into his 'Astro' room, and Sabrina went to her own temporary quarters.

The second TJ was out of earshot, Sabrina giggled. "Andros and Star aren't the only ones who are blind. Cassie and TJ are too." She thought. She hadn't picked up on that, Divatox had told the entire evil community about it. Astronema had been sceptical, but the notoriously oblivious Space pirate had been right. That was proof that TJ and Cassie were the most obviously in love unofficial couple in the universe.

By the time the others came back from school, they were all wide-awake, and Andros was teaching Sabrina how to fight. Ashley had a sneaky suspicion that he wanted his sister to be a ranger.

"Hey Cassie, Carlos. How was school?" Ashley asked, not looking up from her 'homework'.

"Okay." Cassie started.

"It would have been better if we hadn't gotten the third degree from the police." Carlos added sarcastically.

Ashley looked up. "How bad was it?"

The two true Earthlings began treating her to a very detailed description of their day.

Ashley made a sympathetic face. "That's almost as bad as the one I got."

Then she began telling them a very basic version of her past. In other words (namely her own)…

"When I was seven my father was killed. His killer married my mom for her fortune, but my Grandma cut her off. He lost it and attacked Jeff, Emma and me. We ran, because my uncle Ignacio said his work was at a crucial point, and he would not tolerate a child.

We ran for eight years, travelling the world. And then, Jeff decided that I should have a normal life, so we returned to California. My Grandma bought us the hotel, and we moved in. I enrolled in Angel Grove High, and then the Turbo rangers showed up. TJ is a relative of ours, so he moved in with us. That's all there is to tell really."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ashley picked up the phone. She, Sabrina and TJ had made a plan that could help seal the fate of the war. Now she just needed to explain to her Grandma.

"Grandma, it's Ashley."  
"Oh, Ashley! How are you my dear? Social Services said you and TJ had run off, I'm so proud of you! Do you have a boyfriend?"

"I'm fine, but I don't have a boyfriend. Maybe in two years…"  
"Ashley dear, I know you wouldn't do this unless you had a good reason.Why did you call?"

"Grandma… Don't believe everything you're told. Have faith, and remember that things aren't always as they seem. You'll understand soon enough." Ashley rushed out, before she hung up.


	13. Picnic

**Hey, I'm not quite done with this chapter yet! The update is after the row of X's.**

**Phantom Rogue- Here's an update, with some more sweetness on all sides!**

**Sakura-angel113- I add to chapters sometimes, here is one of those times.**

**Ghostwriter- Thanks, glad you like it!**

**DizneeDol- Here's what happens next! More AA fluff!**

**AH/AY- I'm really glad you like this story, and of course I like your Zodiacs story! Would I read and review it if I didn't?**

The next day, Sabrina went back to the Dark Fortress, telling the others that she had to sort out a few loose ends with her guardian, and that she'd be back soon enough.

Ashley and TJ did their schoolwork and their chores, but that was about it, because they didn't want to force their friends to stay on board the megaship. Besides, Ashley and DECA had some work to do, and TJ would teleport to an isolated part of woodland and practise with his powers, which hadn't been fine tuned, and now he was using them, he was paying for his lack of training.

On the third day of 'No you go on ahead.' Cassie exploded.

"YOU ARE COMING TO THE PARK WITH US AND THAT IS THAT!" She yelled.

Ashley ran to get a disguise, while TJ attempted to get Cassie to see reason.

"Ashley might be able to change the way she looks easily, but I'm a guy. I can't." He reasoned.

"Social services aren't hunting you down Teej, they aren't stalking us! All they've done is put out a bulletin in the newspaper." Cassie argued.

"I can't take the risk Cass. I don't want to have to leave you guys because I'm under watch. Besides, some people read bulletins, and they might call the number. Then your lives would be ruined, because the police will be watching you 24/7!"

"Teej, I don't wanna lose you either, but don't you think you're being a little paranoid?" Cassie asked softly. "I feel like I'm losing my best friend."

TJ looked at her, an unreadable expression on his face. "You're not the only one Cass. It's going to get worse before it gets better though, so bear with me."

Before she could ask him what he meant, he walked to his room, and came out looking almost completely different than usual. He wore a blond wig that was cut pretty close to his own hair, and he wore an imager to alter his skin colour and facial features, as well as dark clothing, and a false silver stud earring. He wore a blue T-shirt under his leather jacket, scruffy sneakers and black jeans.

Ashley came out of her room five minutes later. Her hair was its natural colour, while her face was made up. Her lips were painted crimson, her face was unnaturally pale, her fake blue eyes were outlined with eyeliner, and she wore false eyelashes with purple gems.

Her outfit was a yellow mini dress over hipster jeans, with a black jacket. She wore gold trainers, and a pair of oversized Matrix style sunglasses.

Amazingly, she pulled it off.

Carlos gaped at her in astonishment, and his expression made everyone else in the room (Cassie, Andros, Alpha, TJ) look at her.

"Whoa." TJ said. "DECA, take a picture!"

Ashley stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ashley?" Cassie asked.

Ashley nodded. "Please, call me Starr, it is my surname from now on. If you have to be formal, call me Lyn. Or Ashlyn. Or just plain old Ash." She said, letting her adopted Spanish accent shine through.

Carlos looked at her critically. "Ash, you don't speak Spanish. If we run into someone else who does, your cover is blown."

Ashley laughed. "Are you certain? I may not be as good as you are Carlos, but I'm almost fluent in the language of my third homeland." She said, in perfect Spanish.

Carlos started violently. "Ash, how on Earth can you speak Spanish? You failed Spanish!" He was quiet for a moment. "What do you mean, third homeland?"

Ashley looked at him pityingly. "I lived in Spain for a while I was on the run the first time around. I lived in Australia before that, and I lived in California until I was seven. That's three. And the fact I might have needed to go into hiding again made me fail. If people know you can speak the language, they'll look for you in Mexico or Spain, as well as everywhere else."

Andros looked at her oddly. "What else have you been hiding?" He had been really thrown by her hair. He knew it was fake (or at least he thought he did), but it had still scared him. Plus, she looked so different than usual; he had almost turned his Astro blaster on her. She wasn't his Ash anymore.

'My Ash? Where did that come from?' He wondered.

Ashley smiled the same smile she had always worn, for which he was grateful.

" Plenty. Some I'll tell you, some I won't." She smiled, letting them think she was kidding by over acting the mystery of the whole thing.

"Here's one thing I'll tell you." She said, in a stage whisper. "I was a housewife before I hit puberty."

Carlos and Cassie laughed, while Andros asked what a housewife was. Ashley explained.

"But how could you be a housewife if you were only a kid?" He asked, blushing. He didn't like being least informed.

"It's a joke, meaning I cooked, cleaned, and made sure we had everything we needed. I looked after Emma and Jeff, even if they didn't know it." Ashley explained. "They didn't realise I was the cook or cleaner until we became Astro Rangers."

Andros felt his lips quirk. Not a full smile, a small one. "How did it feel, being an unappreciated mom?"

"Lets put it this way, I came pretty close to whacking people who complained about their Mom being over involved in their life. They probably didn't even realise all the things their mom was doing for them, or how much time it takes to do all these little things." Ashley said, obviously frustrated.

Laughing, Cassie and Carlos told DECA to teleport them to Angel Grove park.

Ashley and TJ smiled brightly, when they saw a picnic feast spread out on a blanket on the ground. TJ quickly looked around the area, before deciding they were safe. The area was a secluded part of the park, near the top of a cliff, and a fair way away from the edge. Ashley watched him affectionately. He learnt fast, her cousin.

Then, they settled down to eat, and Ashley let her accent drop, and stopped 'acting' the Spanish pen friend of Carlos's, and started being herself.

They were messing about like normal teenagers, and a miniature food fight started. Ashley ducked a piece of cake, and spotted a pair of familiar shoes. She halted the food fight, and began to clean up hoping she and TJ would be gone by the time Mrs S reached them.

No such luck. The devil herself arrived just as Ashley was leaning over Andros to reach his food.

"Good evening." Mrs S said stiffly. She looked around disdainfully, especially at Ashley's clothes and TJ's earring. The others escaped the worst of the glare.

That might have been because Cassie was wearing a pink long sleeved T-shirt and dungarees, with white trainers.

Carlos was wearing a black T-shirt with a green stripe around his chest, jeans and black trainers, with his hair in a ponytail.

And Andros was wearing an overlarge red jumper with jeans, trainers, and his hair was in a half ponytail.

In other words, they looked 'normal' enough for Mrs S, also known as Mrs Fiona Salmon, the fishy busybody, Fishy Social, ECT. Ashley had had plenty of meetings with the woman, so she felt she was allowed to call her anything she wanted in the privacy of her own mind. It wasn't that Mrs S was a bad person; it was just that she was determined to put Ashley either with her mother, her Grandmother or in care. Anywhere away from Angel Grove, Jeff and Emma. Ashley wouldn't have minded going to her Grandmother's, but she had duties as a ranger, as well as friends in the Angel Grove area that could relate to her.

Grandma's house was the size of a street, and had five stories, and a large garden that you could very easily get lost in. Besides that, her Grandma had to run a multi billion-dollar company, so she was rarely home. And there was no way Ashley would stay with one of her aunts or uncles, because although they were nice enough, they all thought money was the answer to everything.

"It is afternoon still Ma'am." Ashley pointed out to Mrs S, being Ashlyn. "What do you want?"

Mrs S sniffed disdainfully. "I believe you are one of my charges, and I insist you come with me to the police station so I may find out if you are."

Ashley turned to Carlos. "What does she mean by 'charges'? Who is this woman?" She asked in Spanish, winking to let him know she knew, but he had to play the game.

Carlos shrugged, and asked the woman the questions Ashley had asked him.

Mrs S took out her social worker badge. "I'm Mrs Salmon from Social Services, and I believe you are Ashley Hammond, my most _difficult _charge. She runs away every-time we put her in a nice environment. We have never been able to track her down when she doesn't want to be found, it is most frustrating."

Ashley acted confused. "Why do you think I might be this 'Ashley'? Is she from Angel Grove?"

Mrs S huffed. "Ashley Jahida Hammond and Theodore Jarvis Johnson were known friends to Carlos Vargas, Cassie Chan, and Andros…"

"Reid." Ashley said. Everyone jumped.

"What did you say Miss…?"

"I'm Ashlyn Starr, my adopted sister is his biological sister. My sister is Sabrina Starr. Andros's surname is Reid. We do not know the names of his biological parents, just as we do not know my mother's name." Ashley explained. "I am the only one of the three of us who can speak Spanish, because my father and I moved away when I was ten, and Sabrina came to us when I was eleven."

"How old is Sabrina?" Mrs S questioned.

"Same age as me, she is seventeen." Ashley lied. She and Sabrina were both fifteen. "So, what were you saying about those people being known friends to my new friends?"

Mrs S diverted her attention to Ashley. "Why don't you know your mother's name?"

Ashley acted sad. "My father… was a bit of a ladies man before I was born. He had numerous one night sits."

"Stands." Carlos corrected.

"One night stands. He couldn't remember them all. One night, he opens the door and a lady shoves me at him. All he saw of her was her blonde hair as she ran away. There was a note attached to the blanket she had wrapped me in.

It said '_Take the bastard child. It's all your fault she exists._'" Ashley let a few false tears fall.

So, crying she continued her explanation. "Father had DNA tests done, and it showed that I was his. I have his eyes, so I don't know why he doubted it. He adopted Sabrina because he had known the man who raised her, and when he died in a fire, Sabrina had nothing except the locket her biological parents had given her."

Then Ashley collapsed crying, and buried her face in her hands. Andros pulled her into a one armed hug. This served two purposes, one being that he looked like he was comforting her, while helping Ashley hide her face from Mrs S. The second purpose was that he could hold Ashley.

He knew the locket was something Ashley had thrown in just because it was real, and it couldn't be proved or disproved. So he continued the story, as Ashley pretended to cry into his shoulder.

"My biological parents gave me a locket too, so when I met Sabrina, and we compared pictures, we knew that we were related. We had DNA testing, and we are whole brother and sister. The pictures are of who we think are our older brother and either our sister, or one of his friends."

"Where is Sabrina?" Mrs S asked.

Ashley wiped her eyes and drew away from Andros slightly, leaning against him and looking very emotional. "She is at home, she wasn't feeling well. All three of us were home schooled, especially Andros. Sabrina and I dabbled in mainstream for a while, but we were mainly home schooled. When we met Andros, Sabrina and I moved here, and we get on quite well with his friends."

Mrs S nodded. "What about you young man?" She asked, looking directly at TJ.

TJ had been leaning back against a tree, looking around arrogantly. If Ashley hadn't known it was an act, she probably would have slapped him.

"Jay Shadows. What's it to you?" He asked, in a voice that wasn't like his own. It seemed less… responsible, like he was completely carefree. Ashley realised he was channelling the tree's spirit's voice voce, because his eyes had a dark blue tint when the light caught them. She was so proud of him, apparently it took a lot of patience and delicacy to be able to do that, and those weren't TJ's strong suits. Well, delicacy wasn't anyway.

Mrs S was unfazed. "How did you meet these…?" She waved her hand at the rest of the picnickers.

Cassie giggled, and moved to sit next to TJ. She smiled at him, and he put a companionable arm around her shoulders.

"He's my boyfriend." She said, smiling brightly. Ashley knew that Cassie was pretending she was saying that for real, and was tempted to roll her eyes. Cassie's next words put a stop to that.

"We're here on a double date with Lyn and Andros, and we met Carlos on the way over here, so he joined up with us. Good thing too, we need a non-broody guy around to start food fights."

Ashley silently vowed Cassie would pay for that later. Somehow. Maybe if she cut off the hot water to Cassie's bathroom?

Mrs S twirled around and glared at Ashley and Andros, who hadn't moved from their positions of Ashley leaning against him, and his arm around her.

"Why didn't you tell me that?" She snapped.

Ashley felt a real blush spread itself over her neck and face. "I did not think it was any of your business." She said, curtly.

Mrs S sneered. "Well, you thought wrong young lady. I know you are not Ashley Hammond, because she was a little B, and she was renowned for never having a serious boyfriend. She is also far more cultured than you, you punk." Ashley felt her jaw drop of it's own accord here. "And she could not speak Spanish to save her life judging by her grades in that class. Two F's in one semester, straight D's otherwise." Ashley was close to causing Mrs S permanent damage. "Too bad really, her Uncle Ignacio is _very _concerned about her whereabouts, whereas her Grandmother couldn't care less if she tried. It would be easier if Ashley and her cousin's cousin were to just give themselves up!"

Ashley blinked in false confusion. "Her cousin's cousin?"

"Theodore."

"You're stalking those two?" TJ asked incredulously. "Or just the chick?"

Cassie elbowed him in the ribs, while Ashley nodded, and Mrs S left the park.

TJ released Cassie and turned to her. "You were saying?" He said.

Cassie looked at him strangely. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Remember that little argument we had before we came down here?" TJ prompted.

_FLASHBACK _

_"Social services aren't hunting you down Teej, they aren't stalking us! All they've done is put out a bulletin in the newspaper." Cassie argued. _

_"I can't take the risk Cass. I don't want to have to leave you guys because I'm under watch. Besides, some people read bulletins, and they might call the number. Then your lives would be ruined, because the police will be watching you 24/7!" TJ said angrily. _

_END FLASHBACK_

Cassie blushed, while the others looked on in complete bewilderment.

Ashley realised how close she and Andros still were, and moved a little away from him.

"I'll be back in a moment." She promised, setting off in the direction Mrs S had gone. When she saw Mrs S, she jumped behind a tree; which was next to one of the few walls in the park. This one separated the old picnic gardens from the rest of the park. They were hardly used anymore, so if she needed to escape, it was unlikely anyone would notice her.

She listened to Mrs S talking on her cell phone.

"What do you mean she's telling the truth?" Mrs S yelled into her phone. "There were no records on that boy a week ago, _now_ there are. Complete with a whole family history, funnily enough!"

The person on the other end said something. Ashley smiled at the look on Mrs Salmons face, and privately resolved to thank DECA for showing her how to make computer records look old.

"The fact he now has a second name shouldn't matter! You people make me sick!" Mrs S yelled, hanging up rudely.

Ashley rubbed her temples; all the yelling had given her a headache.

Mrs S looked at the tree suspiciously, and Ashley realised she had knocked an acorn down from the tree. Mrs S approached the tree, and Ashley decided to forget her escape plan about the picnic tables.

"DECA, teleport one to the others." She whispered quickly.

DECA obliged, and Ashley teleported… right onto Andros's lap. Blushing, she sat back where she had been when the ordeal began.

Everyone looked at her worriedly except TJ.

"Ashley, why did you tell so many lies? She's going to find out!" Carlos said.

Ashley shook her head. "Oh ye of little faith. I had DECA do some fake records, with solid, but untraceable links to the past."

Andros looked at her. "You should tell us, in case we're ever without you, and we need to prove our identity."

Ashley settled down happily, and TJ continued packing up the picnic.

"Andros stayed at Sunward Orphanage in New Zealand until he was sixteen, then he moved in with some friends. It was an old fashioned school, lessons were taught within. His form Matron was Mrs Waddle, and he can't remember the teachers that well. In real life, the orphanage was burned down in a terrible fire last year, and Mrs Waddle died of heart failure last month."

"Solid, but untraceable." Cassie mused.

Ashley nodded, and began explaining some of Sabrina's 'life', (the man who was supposed to have adopted her was a reclusive mathematic genius in real life, died in a fire that was caused by arsonists, he had no regular contact with the outside world), and about her own.

Mother had abandoned her, the DNA test results, her childhood on the road (mainly in Spain until she was ten, then they moved to Australia.) A few car changes, a few false credit card bills all over the country, and a suicide by her 'father' the year before. Has been with several foster homes since, latest one with a Mr Adam Park.

"I called him and asked if it was okay for me to use his name, and he said it was okay. I gave him the download on Ashlyn's family history." Ashley finished. "So, who wants to go back to the Megaship? All this excitement has worn me out."


	14. Information

**Nicky- Thanks for the compliment!**

**DV2- Thank you, glad you liked the chapter! You'll see a bit more of AA in this chapter.**

**Phantom Rogue- Mrs S was just trying to sway the rangers to her side, and Andros probably won't kiss her yet, not until Haley's Comet. Hey, did you like their first date?**

**Nyx- You could have told me this in an email, and since you probably aren't reading this, I'm not saying anymore.**

**STORY BEGINS HERE!**

TJ was so tired from using his powers he went straight to his Rogue room and collapsed.

Ashley explained to the others that if he were found then he would probably be sent to a counsellor and a foster home in Stone Canyon, so he probably just wanted time to think. Then she set off for his rooms, checking his Astro room first. When she found him, she asked if he was okay.

"Tired." He answered.

Ashley nodded, and pulled the fake earring out of his ear, and took off his imager. "Sleep well Shadow. You're going to need the strength, phase one kicks off tomorrow." She said gently.

TJ was struck by the fact she had often used that tone of voice with Jeff and Emma when they wouldn't take care of themselves properly.

He went into his bathroom and came out dressed in his ship uniform T-Shirt and checked pyjama bottoms.

While he had been getting dressed, Ashley had slipped to her own room and wiped off all her make up, and dressed in yellow pyjamas. Her hair was still the same though.

"Shadow," She began uncomfortably. "What's going on with you and Cassie?"

TJ sighed. "I don't know Star. I really like her, and I think she might like me too…" He trailed off.

"But?" Ashley prompted.

"She deserves someone normal Star. Not someone like me."

Ashley stared at him. "Shadow, in what way are you not normal?"

TJ began listing the things he thought made him different, with plenty of interruptions from Ashley.

"_I'm a ranger."_ **"She is too!"**

"_I'm not from Earth."_ **"Why does that matter?"**

"_I won't be around for awhile."_ **"So, she'll forgive us!"**

"_We live together."_ **"In different rooms Teej, it doesn't matter."**

"_I have powers." _**"How would that affect a relationship? Teej, what's the real reason?"**

"_We're best friends, and I don't wanna screw that up."_

Ashley was quiet for a moment. "It wouldn't screw up your friendship Shadow."

TJ looked at her incredulously. "How do you know that?"

"Because half of your friendship is based on the fact that you two are in love with each other." Ashley stated.

TJ began to deny this with such fever he just proved Ashley's statement. Realising this, he flopped down on the pillows behind him, defeated.

"I'm worried about how she'll react to me being the prince of another planet." He admitted.

Ashley lay down beside him. "She loves you Teej, it won't matter. Besides," She added. "Andros is from another planet, and everyone accepted him easily enough."

"There's a difference in the situations Star." TJ started. "Most of the Kerova system thought Madre was a planet filled with the lowest of the low, because we didn't teach our children telekinesis. The Silver and Red Astro ranger's fathers' were two of the more... vocal against us. Their sons shared the opinion."

Ashley felt her heart break. "How do you know this?" She asked.

TJ used his powers and made his eyes darken to the deep sapphire blue Ashley had seen in his eyes at the picnic. "A Kerovan mechanic who died of natural causes, shortly after making this ship. This was two and a half years ago, six months before KO-35 fell. His name's Jin Ohm, and he was an acquaintance of Andros'. He's been hanging around the ship's echo in the ghost plane, that's how I found him so easily."

He smiled at Ashley, sadly. "So basically, we can't count on Andros to vouch for us on this one."

Ashley felt her eyes fill with tears, but pushed them back instinctively. TJ saw this and frowned.

"Star, it's not good for you to bottle everything up like that. Cry, let it out." He advised.

Ashley looked at him. "I don't cry." She said, and TJ suddenly understood. She didn't know how, not after putting her feelings back for so many years.

Ashley went to her rogue room, and hugged Stripes to her. Andros would hate her even more than he already did when he found out she was Rogue.

Ashley let her powers take over her body completely, and found solace in the hyperspace that DECA resided in.

"DECA, is it okay if I stay here for a while?" She asked, her cyber pattern a yellow figure with purple hair Deca was a young woman with green outlines and grey skin and grey hair, down to her waist.

DECA responded immediately. "Yes Star. Why do you wish to be here though?"

"I'm safe here."

"From your own feelings?"

"That would be what I'm hiding from, so yes,"

DECA softened. "Andros has changed during his travels. Perhaps he isn't as prejudiced as he used to be."

Ashley asked to talk to Andros through DECA. DECA agreed, keeping two files away from Ashley's cyber path.

The files were on Ashley's powers and the other one was about Zhane. Ashley's powers had grown significantly, DECA had no doubt that Ashley would be able to control technology one day, rather than just entering it's systems and understanding it. Ashley had progressed beyond Technologic, and into Technopathic, an extremelyrare form of being able to ask favours from machines, without leaving your own body defenceless.

Ashley found herself in a camera of DECA's, the one in Andros's room. Had she been attached to her emotions and her body, she would have blushed. She had caught him just as he was taking off his shirt and putting on a new one.

"Andros, Ashley was searching the Databanks when she found something of interest to her." She said, in DECA's voice.

Andros pulled his new shirt over his head, and began brushing his hair. Ashley saw it was wet, and realised he had had a shower in the half hour since she and TJ had left the others.

"So? Unless it concerns Zordon, or the forces of evil, it's not important." Andros said.

"She wishes to know why Kerovan's looked down on Madres'."

Andros shrugged. "They let their powers develop, they didn't take control. They just let their society go to hell because they believed in it."

Ashley responded. "Is that what you believe, or what your father did?"

Andros shrugged. "It's not a belief, it's a fact DECA. They didn't teach their children the right way."

"Some might say the same of KO-35, because the way the children were taught stopped them from reaching their full potential. What if your own power had been sorcery? You would have been Astronema's equal, even unmorphed." Ashley pointed out, still in DECA's voice.

Andros looked at DECA's camera suspiciously, and then laughed. "Very funny DECA, I suppose Ashley taught you a sense of humour. You know as well as I do that I would have been a freak if my parents had allowed that to happen."

Ashley knew her heart, already broken, would shatter into millions of pieces once she returned to her emotions. "Andros, Ashley made an interesting point about this."

Andros looked at the camera, still amused. "Lets hear it."

"Do you remember the discussion about race and racism that the others had a few weeks ago?"

Andros nodded in confusion. "Racism is completely pointless. Treating someone differently just because of their skin or beliefs is just plain stupid. On KO-35, that was gotten rid of centuries ago."

"Are you certain Andros? Because the way Kerovans treated Madres seems very similar in Ashley's opinion."

And with that parting shot, Ashley left the circuitries of the Megaship.

And discovered she had been right. Her emotions hit her like a tidal wave, and she came close to tears, while at the same time blushing the colour of the P on Jeff's cloak. Blinking her tears back, she hugged Stripes even closer to her chest.

Breathing deeply, she tried to go to sleep. She really tried. She got up and turned the thermostat down, twenty minutes later she turned it up again. She went over the plan, read a book, did some of the next days school work…

She tried everything she could think of. Five hours later, despite being exhausted from using her powers, as well as being genuinely tired, she was still wide-awake, thoughts ofAndros running through her head.. Glaring at the digital clock in her wall, she saw it was now midnight. Groaning, she left for the simudeck.

As she stormed over there barefoot in her faded yellow pyjamas, she focused on what program she was going to use. Stopping suddenly, she ran back to her room.

The Rogues were going to come back, and she'd be damned if she didn't use her weapon properly. When she eventually reached the simudeck, she immediately put program difficulty to five, and chose to fight thirty cratorites. She was cranky and tired; it would be good for her.

Soon, thirty became twenty, twenty became eight, and eight became none, with Ashley slashing, cutting, kicking, flipping and punching her way through the cratorites.

When she finished, she ran back to her room to sleep.

Elsewhere 

Andros had done some thinking after 'DECA' had left her camera. The more he thought about what she had said, the more he realised Ashley had a point. His father's belief wasn't right, and as the red ranger, he shouldn't be so prejudiced.

He wondered why she cared so much about his opinion, and this led him back to his inner debate on Ashley and Sabrina.

Did Ashley have a secret or something? If so, why didn't she tell any of them? No, she'd told TJ and Sabrina, Andros knew that. He was still confused by what Ashley had meant when she had referred to the RV shuttle ship, but maybe it was just something her blood loss had brought on.

On the other hand, the issue of her hiding behind a mask seemed to be solved. She was so used to it, that long after she should have thrown her mask away, she kept it. And now he had seen a glimpse of the girl behind the mask, Andros was determined to get Ashley to leave it behind for good. Her smile had always been real, and the emotions in her eyes were still the window to her soul, but she could hide them so skilfully that he didn't know who she was.

He wanted to find out. He could admit it now, just to himself. He knew he liked her as a friend, because of the little things she did that were a part of **_her_** own personality, rather than her persona of the sweet cheerleader. He didn't like the way she would talk about a new outfit like it was the most important thing in her life, but he liked the way she fully committed herself to being a ranger, and never backed down from a fight unless she couldn't see a better option. He liked her compassion and integrity. Well, maybe integrity wasn't quite the right word. She wasn't always honest to anyone except herself, and now TJ and Sabrina.

How had those two met anyway? Why had she made up a past for Sabrina as well as one for herself and TJ, didn't his sister have a father? Or was it just to make things simpler when dealing with Mrs S?

He sighed, he was doing it **again**, making more questions when he hadn't even answered the ones he had. Maybe he should just go to bed and stop worrying.

Still, it bothered him. Why did she care about Madres? Ashley was still naïve to the ways of the universe, and **this** bothered her more than anything else they had faced in battle.

Suddenly, Andros heard someone walking passed his room. By the way they walked, he knew it was a certain yellow ranger he hadn't stopped thinking about since Cassie had declared them boyfriend and girlfriend.

Andros sighed. He had heard Carlos say something about women being the greatest mystery of earth, which Cassie had told him meant that Carlos didn't think he'd ever understand the way a female's mind worked. Not before she and Ashley had pelted him with their dinner though.

So, if women were the greatest mystery of Earth, what was Ashley?


	15. Hello

**AN- I'm going to take the focus off Andros/Ashley for a bit, to give TJ and the others a chance to shine. The song doesn't look that good on paper, but it sounds great. It's Hello by Evanescence.**

**Just Jill- Me too**

**AH/AY- it's not happening very quickly, but it is happening!**

**Sakura-angel1113- Here is as soon as I could get a plot for the chapter. It shall be finished eventually.**

**Phantom Rogue- She's just going to put on her mask.**

The next day, Ashley slept in. TJ did her chores; Andros scanned the galaxy for Zordon… The world went on.

When Ashley eventually got up (at eleven o'clock.), she had breakfast and walked to the Bridge, where she found Andros.

"Hey." She said.

He glanced at her. "Hey."

Ashley sat down, stared at him and began fiddling with her hair. In the privacy of her own mind, she wondered how he would react if he knew who/what she was, or if he would miss her when the plan was activated.

Ten minutes later, Andros couldn't take it anymore.

"What?" He asked, annoyed.

Ashley jumped. "Sorry?"

"What do you want?" Andros said, completely exasperated.

Ashley blushed. "Well… Cassie put us in an awkward situation yesterday, but we managed to pull through." Ashley hesitated.

"So?" Andros prompted.

"We need to go on a few dates to keep my cover intact." Ashley rushed out.

Andros looked at her incredulously. "We have to pretend we're boy friend and girlfriend?"

Ashley nodded, thinking. **_If he hasn't broken my heart already, he's about to._**

Andros thought about it for a moment. On one hand, he'd get to spend some time with Ashley and get to know her a little better, and he might be able to get another glimpse of the girl behind the mask, the one who had woken up from a coma screaming. On the other hand, it would be really awkward.

"Sure." He said.

Ashley blinked in surprise, then forced herself to remember he didn't know she was a Rogue Princess of Madre. If he had, he wouldn't have agreed. "Okay. Where do you want to go for a date?"

Andros shrugged. "The movies? You pick."

"Okay. How about a horror movie?" Ashley suggested. "**Kill it before it dies** is on at the rerun theatre."

Andros nodded, and went back to his work.

Ashley got up and went to fix the synthatron. The pancakes it had given her had tasted like pizza.

LATER

TJ smiled as Cassie and Carlos came bounding into the hangar bay, where he'd been waiting for them.

"Hi Teej." Carlos said, dumping his backpack on the table.

"Hey Teej." Said Cassie, who was already getting something to eat.

"Hey." He greeted. "How was school?"

TJ received two annoyed grunts as a response.

"The police were there again." Carlos moaned.

Cassie looked TJ in the eye. "It's not as much fun without you."

TJ smiled. "Ashley and I didn't do that much in class, besides our work. It wasn't much fun anyway."

Cassie looked down at her meal shyly, which startled both of the boys. Cassie, shy? It didn't make sense!

"I'd like it better if you were there though." She said.

TJ blushed slightly as he realised Cassie wasn't saying 'you guys' or 'you two', just 'you'. Meaning him.

Carlos coughed and practically ran out of the room, crashing into Ashley, who was about to come in.

"Ouch!" Ashley yelped. "What the **infierno** is wrong with you, canalla?"

Carlos raised an eyebrow at her. " Cassie and TJ are playing the flirting game again." He said in Spanish. "I am not a swine!"

Ashley shuddered, and then clicked her fingers.

"I know the perfect way for us to get away from them and their mushiness!" She exclaimed.

Carlos urged her on.

"We can use my cover and make it stronger, I'm your pen-pal! Let's go to the Surf Spot." She said.

They both ran to get changed. As they ran to their rooms, Ashley passed Andros, and jogged backwards.

"Hey Andros, we still on for tonight?" She asked, jogging on the spot.

Andros raised his eyebrows at her, but nodded. **Okay, what's up with those two? They're being even weirder than usual. **He thought.

Ashley smiled, and continued running. **Maybe he wouldn't hate me if he knew. He's nice now.**

MEANWHILE

Cassie and TJ watched Carlos ran for his life.

"What's up with him?" Cassie asked.

TJ shrugged. "Beats me."

There was silence for a moment.

"So… Doyouwanttogosomewherewithme?" TJ rushed out. At Cassie's confused expression, he repeated himself. "Do you want to go somewhere with me? I was surfing the net and I found this really cool park in the UK."

Cassie nodded enthusiastically. "That'd be fun."

They smiled and went to change into civilian clothing.

AT THE SURF SPOT

"Hey Adelle." Carlos greeted. "Can we please get a double cheese burger, two extra large french fries, a diet cola and a soda? Oh, and a taco. Starr likes her food."

Adelle looked at the young man. "Starr huh? You brought a date instead of a friend?"

Carlos laughed. "She is my friend. Starr is a Spanish and English speaker. My old pen pal."

Adelle wrote down his order. "_Old_ pen pal?"

Ashley walked up to the counter. "Is something wrong?"

Adelle gaped at her for a few seconds. "Ashley?"

Carlos thought he was about to have a heart attack. This was definitely **_not_** good.

Luckily for him, Ashley was quick on her feet.

"Who? Yo me llamo Ashlyn. No lo se Ashley. Carlos, Quiero pedir bebida light por favor." She said. In English, that would be "Who? My name is Ashlyn. I don't know Ashley. Carlos, I'd like to order a diet drink please."

While she said that, she took off her sunglasses and tossed her head back, smiling. Her blue eyes sparkled, her skin was just a little paler than it should be, and her eyelashes were just a little longer, so you could only tell they were fake if you looked really closely. Her eyes seemed slightly closer together, and her eyebrows had been shaped. All in all, she looked a little like Ashley Hammond, but not much.

So, disaster was adverted, and they ate their meal in peace. Well, as much peace as they could, it was karaoke night!

Carlos was telling her a joke about a golfer when Ashley's power alerted her that Ecliptor and Sabrina were there in disguise. Sabrina had just walked in, and Ecliptor was just a few steps behind her. He was made of so much machinery; she always knew it was him.

At the same time, Andros was walking towards the Surf Spot.

Carlos saw her anxiety, and stopped his joke. "Starr what's wrong?"

Uh oh. Now she had to fend off questions!

The mic was back in its stand, and Adelle was asking for one more singer. Ashley Hammond never sang in public. It was perfect! She would make Carlos think that was the reason she was worried, take Andros's attention off of the rest of the crowd, and make her new identity even more foolproof.

Ashley stood up. "I'll sing."

Adelle nodded, and handed her the microphone. "What song would you like to sing to?" She queried.

Ashley whispered it in Adelle's ear. She chose the song because it hadn't been a top forty hit, and because it was mostly instrumental. Ashley Hammond wouldn't have heard of it, but Ashlyn Starr was slowly gaining a reputation for being a little different to most other people.

The music came on, and Ashley sang from her heart.

_"Playground school bell rings again  
Rain clouds come to play again  
Has no one told you she's not breathing?  
Hello I am your mind giving you someone to talk to  
Hello_

_If I smile and don't believe  
Soon I know I'll wake from this dream  
Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken  
Hello I'm the lie living for you so you can hide  
Don't cry_

_Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping  
Hello I'm still here  
All that's left of yesterday."_

When the song ended, Sabrina looked around for her father figure, knowing he was somewhere. Frowning when he wasn't. She had told him that she wanted to spy on the rangers more closely, and two of them were at the restaurant. It wasn't like him to wander off against her orders…

Using the applause to cover her, she ran out to search for Ecliptor.

Ashley saw this, but didn't show any sign of it. Instead, she walked over to where a stunned Carlos and Andros were sitting.

"So…" She smiled. "Are we still going to see **Kill it before it dies**, or are you staying here Andros?"

Andros recovered enough to say, "Lead the way Starr. There is no way we're missing our date."

After the two had left, Carlos went back to the Megaship. As he teleported onto the bridge, what Andros had said registered.

"Date?" He wondered. "What date?"

If DECA could have smirked, she would have. Alpha did a good job of hiding his amusement as well.


	16. Calm before the storm

**Ghostwriter- Glad you like it!**

**DV2- One update straight up!**

**Phantom Rogue- Thanks for reminding me about the no lyrics rule, and here's a little _real_ romance!**

**DizneeDol- She fooled Adelle, but just barely!**

**AH/AY- Here's an update, and to be honest, he didn't really have a choice in going out with her, did he? Still, in my opinion, that's what makes it so fun to write!**

**Just Jill- They pulled through!**

**Sakura-angel113- Glad you liked it!**

**Hey! Does anyone think this needs a new name, and if so could they suggest one?**

Meanwhile, TJ and Cassie were having a great time.

"Hey, do you want some candy floss?" TJ asked.

Cassie nodded enthusiastically, and dragged him to where the vendor was.

"Hi, I'd like two candyfloss sticks please, one of each colour." TJ smiled.

He paid in the strange currency called pounds and pence's, and received one blue candyfloss, and another pink. Pretending he didn't know which one to give her, TJ asked Cassie which one she wanted.

"Hmmm, tough choice." She said, making a big show of thinking. "I'll take the pink."

"Wonderful choice Madam." Said TJ, in a salesman's pitch voice.

"Just give me my sugary ball of fluff." Cassie demanded.

TJ held it out of her reach. "Or what?" He teased.

"Or this!" Cassie whispered, kissing him quickly on the lips.

TJ was shocked, to say the least. While he was semi paralysed, Cassie snatched the pink candyfloss from him.

"Hey!" TJ exclaimed. "You cheated."

Cassie stuck her tongue out at him, and went back to eating her prize.

TJ laughed. "Time to head home Cass. You've got homework for next week, and I've got chores to do."

She pouted and tried to kiss him again, but TJ moved away, much to Cassie's disappointment.

"Come on, we've got to get back." He said. He knew the plan would hurt her, and he wanted to minimise the pain. For both of them.

**THE RERUN THEATRE**

Ashley was wearing a fuchsia pink T-shirt under a canary yellow jacket with jeans and sneakers. The oversized sunglasses were present, as always. Andros was wearing his usual red sweater and jeans combo, which Ashley envied. Ashlyn Starr was not a tomboy, but at heart Ashley knew _she_ was. Even if neither of her current personas were.

They didn't bother buying popcorn; they just sat down in their back row seats and waited for the movie to start.

"What the movie about?" Andros asked.

"It's an old horror movie. There's a monster around town and it's killing people, and this guy called Billy has to go and save the day because it's attacking people at his school or something. He saves the day and hooks up with a sweet girl whose name I can't remember." Ashley explained.

Andros looked at her in amusement. "If you knew all that, why did you pick this movie?"

Ashley shrugged. "I thought we could talk. This is the evening showing; only half the theatre will be full. The crowds come in for the late showing."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Anything that no one else will be able to hear." Came Ashley's perplexing reply.

When the movie started, the only other rows with anyone else in them were the first three. Seeing as they were in the back row, and that there were eight rows in total, Ashley asked Andros what his strangest moment with a morpher had been.

"When I morphed with you guys for the first time. That felt weird, I'm used to doing things on my own." He said. "Why, what's your strangest morpher moment?"

Ashley quickly thought over all the times she had had a morpher and something odd had happened. She then ruled out anything from when she was a Rogue.

"It's a tie between three. I'll start with the latest, and work my way back, okay?"

"Okay. I didn't think that you'd have had that many unusual things, you've only been a ranger for a year." Andros mused.

"Well, losing the turbo powers felt like a part of me had died, even though there's still traces of it in me." Ashley began. "I still have my turbo morpher under my pillow, it makes me feel safer for some reason.

Morphing on my own for the first timewas really weird, but there was no one else around except a lot of Piranathons. And I am not exaggerating when I say _a lot_. If Carlos and Justin hadn't showed up when they did, I would have been fish food!"

Andros chuckled, but then realized she was being serious. "What was the first weird thing that happened?"

"My morpher electrocuted me." She said calmly.

Andros blinked, wondering if she was joking this time.

By the time they left the theatre, Ashley had learnt a fair bit about Andros. His mother had been the daughter of the Kerovan equivalent of a vice president, and his father was the supreme headmaster of the schools. Or he had been anyway. Andros wasn't sure where his father was at the moment, but his mother had died in a hover-car accident.

In his spare time, his and his friend Zhane's fathers had been the chief campaigners against Madres. They had boycotted the planet, stopped trade with them… It made Ashley feel quite sick, especially when Andros said he and Zhane used to go to the rallies.

She did cheer up when he said he wasn't too sure about the issue now, because of something DECA had said.

Androsnow knew that Ashley had a 'corporate' family, most of her aunts and uncles and a few of her cousins were extremely successful in the business world. Her grandmother ran a baby company, designed to cater for new mothers but that had somehow had extended into catering for all mothers. Her cousin Mercedes had founded a chain of wedding shops, called Beautiful Bride. Her Uncle Otto had been a dot COM millionaire who had gotten out before the bubble burst and was now in real estate for _fun_.

The most interesting part of her family history was that she had never met her father's side of the family, unless you counted Ignacio and his daughter Emma. Her father and uncle had been co founders of NASA.

Besides that, he hadn't really learnt anything about her, except that she had hated being a cheerleader and being the stereotype.

"Taking care with your appearance is one thing, acting like it's the end of the world if your hair won't sit perfectly is another." She said, as they walked to the park. "Half the time I wanted to walk over to either Carlos or TJ and order them to let me play."

"So why didn't you?" Andros asked, confused.

"Because it wasn't what was expected of Ashley Hammond, the head cheerleader who was flunking Spanish and work shop." Ashley explained.

"Why did you take work shop? It doesn't seem very cheerleader-y to me."

"I wanted to be able to look after Star Racer. And Ashley Hammond wasn't just based on a stereotype, she was based on me too, and I mixed the two up so I would be able to get away with it." Ashley smirked, remembering how Jeff and Emma had thought that Ashley _Hammond _was the real Ashley. She definitely counted that as being able to get away with it.

"What was the point? From what you've said, it sounds like you're always acting like other people, you never act like yourself, so what's the point in hiding your real personality? No one would use it when they described you." Andros stumbled through his thoughts.

"Because, if I let myself act too much like… well, myself, then all the problems and pain would return. My nightmares would become a reality; I would lose control. That's the reason why each time I cahnge my personality, I change my name. It separates **me** from the person I'm pretending to be, and I keep my emotions and issues in check." Ashley attempted to make him understand. "Hey, we're here!"

Andros was tempted to roll his eyes, until he realized she meant that they were at the park.

"Why are we here anyway? You never said." He questioned.

Instead of answering, Ashley grabbed his arm and half dragged him up the hill.

When she stopped, she let go of his arm and he stumbled the last few steps.

"Sorry." She giggled. "I just wanted to get here really quickly."

"Why?" Andros grumbled. "I think you pulled my arm out of its socket."

Ashley sat down on the grass. "I wanted to show you something. Come here, it's the only place you can see it properly."

Andros did as she asked and sat down next to her, wondering what on earth she was talking about.

"You see those three lights over there, near-ish the woods? Keep an eye on the tree in the middle of them." She ordered.

He did, and soon saw what she was talking about. The three lights each changed colour, and several more coloured lights came on. He couldn't see them all properly, but the tree was what was really magnificent, as streams of light began running down its leaves, branches and trunk. The lights were great, but what was really special was that it was all ranger coloured, and the light on the tree was a beautiful white that ran in patterns, one created a T shape, while another created an A shape. There were several others he couldn't see properly, but it was a wonderful sight to be sure, especially when the colours of the lights reflected on the trunk.

The whole light show lasted about sixty seconds, before everything flashed red, green, pink, blue and yellow, and darkness ruled the small area once again.

He turned to Ashley. "What was that? It was…" He racked his brain for a suitable word. "Awesome!"

Ashley smiled. "That was my back garden. I rigged it up the weekend we moved in, because the cleaners were taking up all the room indoors. I added bits and pieces over the years, and that's the end result. It turns on once a week at this time."

"It was great. But why did you add green? We don't have a green ranger." Andros asked.

"Yes we do." Ashley said, obstinately. "Carlos used to be green, remember that shirt he was wearing when we met you? Besides, I don't know how to make something glow _black_in the dark."

Andros smiled. "Good point. But why was there silver and purple, and all those other colours?"

Ashley put an arm around his shoulder. "I used tin foil and grease paper to get the silver, they're there because I asked Demitria for every ranger colour I could make into light. She was confused, but she helped me."

Andros wrapped an arm around her waist. "Wanna head back to the megaship?"

"Sure."

ON THE MEGASHIP

Cassie stared glumly at her bowl of synthesized bowl of ice cream. What had she done? Did she come on too strong, did she move too fast, did TJ not like her that way, or was it something else?  
She picked up her spoon and began to eat again, wishing Ashley was there. Moping over a guy wasn't as horrid if you had a friend with you. Sometimes it could be kinda fun, in a weird way.

"DECA, is…" Cassie began.

"No Cassie, Ashley is not currently present on the ship." The AI responded. "I will inform her that… Ashley has just returned to the ship. I will tell her you wish to speak with her."

In less than five minutes, Ashley was in the Hangar Bay. She stood next to Cassie and surveyed the table.

"Ice cream, candyfloss in a bag, three chocolate bars and a bowl of blackcurrants. Cassie, did something happen with TJ?"

Cassie shrugged. "He gave me the cold shoulder when I tried to kiss him the second time."

Ashley got her own bowl of ice cream, and Cassie explained what had happened in excruciating detail.

"Cassie, I'm sure it's not that he doesn't like you, he's totally into you." Ashley assured her friend.

Cassie's head perked up. "You think?"

"I know. Heck, **_Divatox_** probably noticed!"

Cassie blushed the exact shade of her ranger suit. "He didn't seem to like me today."

Ashley knew why that was, but stayed silent for a moment. "Things are happening really quickly Cassie. A few months ago we were the turbo rangers with Justin, and now we have a new set of colours and a new leader, and we're travelling the universe looking for our predecessors' former mentor. Now we're the Astro rangers, and we fight all the evil we find. Before we fought all the evil that threatened earth, and that was it.

Besides that, TJ's not used to being someone else. He's learning real fast, but it's still new to him. If he goes to Angel Grove as himself we'll both be put into care or worse! We'll be sent to live with some of my family, and the staff will notice us vanishing every time there's an emergency!

TJ probably wants at least one thing to stay the same, or not change overnight. He really values your friendship Cass. Maybe he doesn't want anything else at the moment because he's afraid you like **Jay**, rather than **TJ**."

Cassie looked indignant. "Why would he think… Oh."

Ashley nodded. "Good choice of words."

"Oh. He'd really think I liked him because he was Jay, just because I introduced him as my boyfriend to Mrs S? That is so stupid!"

Ashley shrugged. "That's the mind of a guy for you. Chocolate ice cream?"

"Please."

At three AM the next day, Ashley teleported down to the park. She walked to the picnic tables, her Rogue cloak covering most of her body. She sat down at the nearest table and waited.

A few minutes later, a tired and dishevelled princess of darkness teleported down.

"What the heck was wrong with meeting at a normal time? Like when the sun's up?" She grumbled.

Ashley waited for the tirade of obscenities to stop before she asked Sabrina if she was done. When her friend nodded, Ashley asked if everything was ready.

"Yeah. I found Cat and Lee, and they're on the fortress. How about you?" Sabrina said.

"Adam agreed to the plan. His career as a stunt man's taking a dip at the moment, and I've agreed to pay him all the money he could have earned for as long as this little mission will take, plus some. He couldn't have managed to do it otherwise." Ashley smiled. Adam was all for helping them with the plan, something worthwhile after all this time. She'd had to convince him to accept the payment.

"When do we initiate the plan?" Sabrina smirked. She had a feeling that Adam hadn't accepted the money straight away.

"Tomorrow. Lunchtime for the earthbound Astro rangers."

"It's a date. Tell Shadow that I'll try not too hurt either of you too badly."


	17. Phase 1

**Phantom Rogue- That was just a cover story, and I'm afraid you'll have to wait to see how he reacts to who she is ;P About Sabrina, you're right, but add the fact I needed Ashley to do a few things before they met up, LOL.**

**AH/AY- Wait no longer, here's phase one! Glad you like it.**

**Just Jill- I like Adam too. Here's what happens next!**

**DV2- Yeah, I'm evil. **_Some_** is revealed here!**

**Review!**

The next morning, Ashley bounced out of her Astro room in full Ashlyn Starr wardrobe, with extra chirpiness. She'd asked Sabrina to meet her at three am at the park for several reasons, one being that it had taken her three hours to safely disconnect the RV from the Megaship, and another half hour to find a good place for it. Then there had been some personal belongings that neither TJ or her had the heart to leave behind, as well as the fact Andros hadn't gone to sleep until quarter to twelve...

Thank the power for concealer make up, was all she could say!

TJ was tired too, but they were also excited, nervous, and regretful all at once! He knew the plan, and he would stick with it right to the end. Even though they both knew that their hearts would snap clean in two when stage three was put in operation.

For now though, they only had to cope with stage one.

Ashley got herself some orange juice and cereal, knowing that TJ had already eaten.

"Hey guys, I had an idea." She smiled brightly, forcing herself to believe in the lie she was feeding them. "How about we all go to lunch at that café near the school? I'll pay."

"Sure." Cassie agreed. "It'll help your cover story."

'More than you know Cass.' Ashley thought. Outwardly, Ashley grinned. "Great."

Carlos and TJ both agreed, even though TJ was just pretending it was a surprise.

"Well, what do you think Andros?" Ashley turned to him hopefully, even though she wasn't smiling anymore. Her stomach was in knots, he'd seen more of the real her than anyone else, except maybe TJ or Sabrina. Although she suspected that it wasn't so much nerves about his refusal as much as it was nerves that he would look at her and see a trap. Most likely, it was to do with her personal feelings for him.

Andros looked Ashley in the eyes, and she placed a pleading smile on her face.

Andros's instincts were telling him something was up, but Ashley couldn't fake a smile like that. She'd told him she had to feel the emotions. She was really pleading with him to follow the script she and Sabrina had organised, before they reached the improv. Of course, he didn't know that.

"Sure." He said, smiling slightly. "Sounds like fun."

Ashley used the 'Rogue link' to send a mental cheer to TJ. He sent a message back straight away.

'_Star, do Eclipse and Phantom know about this extra feature on the gems?_' He asked.

'_I asked DECA, and she doesn't think so._'

'_So no_.'

'_Exactly. Terminate the conversation now Shadow.'_

Breakfast passed fairly quickly, but when the earth rangers left for school, the morning just dragged on, and on, and on, and on….

TJ offered to do the maintenance check in the engine room, so that left Ashley and Andros alone.

They sat in an uncomfortable silence for about three minutes, when Ashley thought of something.

"Hey, Andros?"

"Yeah?"  
"Wanna play catch?"

Andros blinked. "Sure I guess."

Ashley smiled. "Race you to the simudeck!"

When they got there, Ashley set it to a program she had made based on a dream she'd had a child. Her usual nightmare and the resulting pain had been dulled somewhat because of it, and she had always held that one dream in her memory.

The courtyard was more like a garden with stepping stones leading to the palace door. Beautiful plants and flowers were in random patches everywhere, in more colours than were on the plants on earth, and in very different shapes. The palace was made of pale brown bricks, and vaguely reminded Ashley of a pyramid in its overall shape.

Andros looked around in awe. "I wonder who made this. It's practically an exact replica of the famous Madre Chuuguu, the Empress's palace. I saw it in a holoscreen documentary on the 'lost' planet."

Ashley tossed the ball to him. "What do you mean the lost planet? How can a planet be lost?"

Andros threw the ball at her with a little more force than necessary. "When it's rumoured to be destroyed, but there's evidence of it being forced into a new orbit, which no one can find."

Ashley nodded, and passed the ball to him again.

This went on for some time, until Ashley accidentally bounced the ball so it hit Andros in the stomach.

She ran to his side. "Oh, I'm so sorry Andros. Are you okay?" She asked guiltily.

Andros half smiled at her. "I'll live. Help me up?"

Ashley put one arm around his waist, and he did the same to her. It wasn't until he was standing that they realised just how close they were. Still, neither of them made a move to separate.

They walked to the bridge in this manner, and Ashley realised just how much she would miss him, and their strange friendship. Even when he acted like he hated her she valued his companionship, and sometimes she thought he felt for her as more than a friend, but she'd probably miss the times when they just spent some time together most. Those times when neither of them wanted to talk were comfortable rather than awkward, and she'd really miss that.

Andros was thinking more about how he didn't need help walking, but he wasn't going to push her away. His instincts told him to keep her close.

TJ, the silent observer in all this, sent a message to Ashley. _'Be careful Ashley, you'll break his heart and yours at lunch. Don't make it any worse than it is.'_

'_You think he likes me?'_

'_Do I like Cassie?'_ And with that, TJ slipped out of the engine room and walked to his room.

Ashley knew one way that would either lessen the pain or increase it tenfold.

"Andros?" She began, tentatively.

"Yes?" He replied, confused. He'd never heard her sound so… scared.

Ashley quickly kissed him on the lips, and walked on her own to her room. Andros stumbled slightly, but watched her go. He knew he probably had a really goofy smile on his face, but he really didn't care.

LATER

Andros walked ahead of the other two, knowing that he'd probably feel awkward around Ashley. TJ was pleased; this would make the plan a little easier. Ashley was busy pretending not to know her way around Angel Grove, and staring around with the fascination that only a newcomer could manage. And she hadn't been in this part of Angel Grove for a while, so it wasn't a huge leap to force herself to believe she'd never been there at all.

They were just around the corner from the café when there was a huge explosion in between Andros and the other two, throwing them away from each other. Ashley hit her head on a bench and slipped into unconsciousness.

TJ groaned, but forced himself off of the ground. The monster was… big. Really really really big, but not enough for them to use the megazord. Which sucked.

'So much for not hurting us too badly.' He thought, wryly.

Seeing his team mate with a small pool of blood around her head, he ran to her as fast as he could. Well, he tried to; but he forgot about the monster and was thrown into a nearby building.

Andros was now the only conscious ranger in the area.

"Guys, I need help. We're around the corner." He said into his morpher, silently cursing the fact that there were so many people around.

"Who are you?" He asked the monster. "What do you want?"

"I am Electonor, and I want the rangers yellow and blue!" The thing declared.

The crowd gasped.

"However, these two will do just fine!" Electonor yelled.

Astronema appeared next to TJ, and teleported away with him. Andros ran to Ashley's side, just as she opened her eyes.

"Andros? Wha... what's happening?" She asked, just as Astronema teleported in and raised her staff.

Ashley didn't even think before she kicked Andros out of the way, and received the full force of the blow herself.

Then the world turned purple, and the last thing Ashley saw of Andros was his shocked face as he tried to stand up, with Cassie and Carlos running towards him.

TJ woke up in a dungeon. He wasn't chained up, and there was a bed type thing for him to lie on, but the fact remained it was a dungeon.

"Ashley?" He called.

An extremely groggy voice told him to shut up. TJ shrugged in the darkness and lay down on the bed.

There was nothing to do except wait.

SOMEWHERE ELSE ON THE DARK FORTRESS

Sabrina faced Dark Spectre's image on the com.

"I have captured two of the rangers, and have recruited two civilians to replace them and do my bidding. Have faith, this is not a half baked hostage plot, I know they never work." She assured him one last time, before ending the transmission.

"Ecliptor, is something troubling you?" She asked without turning her head. She could practically feel his gaze boring holes in the back of her head, and Elgar was at his aunt's ship for the month. (_HOORAY!)_

"Why those two rangers?" He asked, his voice troubled.

"They were the easiest targets. They were already hiding from the world, and the blue ranger is second in command of the team, not to mention the pink ranger will fall apart without him. The yellow ranger is the soul of the team, tension will rise now they have no-one to talk to." Sabrina replied smoothly.

"Astronema, I've raised you since the rangers killed your family. I know you're lying to me." Ecliptor stated.

Sabrina felt the now familiar pang of hurt as he fed her the lie. Again.

"I'm not lying." _'You are.' _She added silently.

"Princess, you asked me for all records on the yellow ranger. Then you searched through all of earth's databases for information on people that I've never heard of, and vanished for almost twenty-four hours. Why?"

"I was gaining information on the yellow ranger because I suspected she was Star. She isn't, but I had information on her that we could use to our advantage." Sabrina snapped. "If you'll excuse me, I have to prepare phase two of the plan."

And with that, she stormed off to the dungeon. Hoping that Star and Shadow would forgive her for their injuries, and that Star wouldn't mind that she'd been sedated so that Sabrina could treat her injuries.

'_That's like hoping Ecliptor will tell me what's really wrong with him. Star's gonna go ballistic the second she gets a chance.'_

She stopped by the guests' quarters and asked Catalina to move her things to the RV shuttle ship. Adam offered to help, and Lee asked if his room was still there.

Sabrina nodded, and said that if she didn't return, to blame Star.

When Sabrina reached the dungeon, she found TJ awake, while Ashley was dozing.

"You are now my prisoner blue ranger. Take the yellow ranger and follow me." She said, coldly.

TJ glared at her, but did as she asked. Soon, they were in the guests' quarters, and were given their own 'Fortress' room. The party really started then, with phase two being initiated.

"Okay Adam, you have to prepare the RV for the trip. Cat, you keep Lee occupied, there's a carnival at the beach. Sabrina, Shadow, you guys already know what to do." Ashley instructed. "Lets rock."

Adam looked at TJ in amusement. "She should wear red." He joked.

TJ shook his head. "Nah."

"Why not?" Cat asked, curiously.

TJ grinned. "That's her boyfriend's colour."

Ashley slumped. "I think any chance of him agreeing to that has gone done the drain."

There was an awkward silence, until Lee went over and hugged his sister.

"Things will be okay Star. I promise." He said.

Ashley hugged him back. "Thanks Storm. Try not to lose control, 'kay buddy?"

"Okay. Kick butt. I mean, don't mess them up too bad." Lee corrected himself.

Everyone laughed, and dressed for war. Or in Adam's and Cat's case, for babysitting and driving.

WITH THE ASTRO RANGERS

"Carlos, try to get a lock on their morphers." Andros instructed.

The three remaining rangers were pale and tired from worry. Andros had slipped back into his old defensive, heartless mode, and Cassie would quite happily strangle Astronema if she had seen her.

Carlos wasn't doing that well either, but he was holding up.

"I'll try." He answered.

"Rangers, Astronema is attacking Angel Grove Park." DECA piped up, her alarms blaring.

"Oh great, come to barter our morphers for their lives?" Cassie snapped.

They went down to Earth, where there were about fifteen Quantrons and Astronema.

The second Sabrina saw the morphed rangers; she got rid of the Quantrons herself.

"I was expecting you three. I wanted to introduce you to the latest additions to the alliance of evil." She smiled sweetly.

"Never mind that, where are our friends?" Carlos demanded.

A cat ran past. Sabrina realised it was Catalina, and knew that Lee was nearby. Cat had just wanted to warn her of that.

Speaking of Lee, the sky was darker than it had been when she had arrived on Earth.

Sabrina raised her free hand to the skies. "They're right here."

Two teleportation beams came from the sky, just as thunder rolled and lightning began to flash. Strangely, there was no rain. And the lightning was only striking roads…

Ashley smiled. TJ crossed his arms and stared at the rangers, who noticed that neither of their friends were in disguise, except for the fact Ashley's hair was still blonde and purple.

"What do you require of us Princess?" Ashley asked, not taking her eyes off her friends.

"Attack the astro rangers. They betrayed you, remember? Don't hurt your allies, TJ will aid Ashley and Ashley shall aid TJ. I'll take the pink ranger. TJ, red is your nemesis; he replaced you and treated you all like amateurs. He doesn't deserve to wear red. You never hurt Cassie, or Justin or Ashley or Carlos. He hurt Ashley's feelings daily, are you okay with that? No." Sabrina crooned.

"Andros must be terminated." TJ said coldly.

Sabrina turned to Ashley. "The green ranger doesn't care about you, he made you remember Mara. He asked you questions you didn't want to remember the answers to, and he made fun of you when you were at your lowest. On the anniversary of your father's death no less. When you were stressed about the social worker. When you needed their support, and received ridicule and rules."

Ashley fixed her stance. "Carlos will be annihilated."

"Lets Rocket!" TJ and Ashley called, for what they knew could be the last time.

The battle was on.

Eventually, the astro rangers were forced to demorph, and waited for the final blow. Only Cassie could bring herself to hurt her opponent, and Astronema wasn't exactly a lightweight. (By that I mean a bad fighter.)

"Farewell Rangers." Ashley called.

Andros pushed himself off of the ground and caught her eye. She avoided his gaze, and Sabrina teleported them out of there.

"You guys go to the RV. Start driving, and I'll meet you in an hour." She ordered.

When they were gone, Sabrina stormed over to the Control room, smashing a few things as she went along, and generally acting like a spoilt brat.

"Urgh!" She screamed, throwing a Quantron out of her way. "The yellow ranger's will is too damn strong!" She yelled at Ecliptor, as if it were his fault.

"She could completely ruin my plans. If I destroy her the rangers will want revenge, if I keep her here they'll rescue her, and if I wipe her memory and leave her on earth she'll find her way back to them!" For good measure, Sabrina threw a box of old quantron parts against a wall.

Ecliptor did a good impression of sighing. "My Princess, may I suggest accompanying her and the other three on earth? You could use the time off, you've been… stressed lately."

"Ya think?" She grumbled sarcastically.

"Princess, the rangers will be occupied with trying to find their friends. They will not search for Zordon for a while. I'll send a monster down at least once every two weeks, and you will not return here for three months. Do you understand?"

Sabrina nodded. "Okay. Elgar will be back on Saturday anyway… It'll be nice to have a break from The Brainless One."

Ecliptor managed to look like she had punched him in the stomach.

"I'll go pack." She said, and ran as fast as she could. Ashley had gotten her some really cool clothes for Earth.

And she wanted to be with her friends on Earth before Ecliptor changed his mind.

**YOU CAN REVIEW NOW SO PLEASE DO!**


	18. Silver Nuisance

Okay, from now on the story is really AU, and I've taken a few liberties with the timeline sooo… Yeah. In my defence, it fits the story much better this way! And the chapter will be added to from the RV!

AH/AY- Glad you like it, here's the update!

Phantom Rogue- It's not because you're sleepy, everything's happening at once. This chapter will slow things down a bit. 

**Just Jill- You're not the only one, but I'm glad you like it!**

**DV2- The rest of the plan will be revealed later!**

**Sakura-angel113- Here's part of the next chapter**

**Slytherin-Angel44- They're not quite out of the story, if everything goes to plan… (hinthinthint, think 'big brother she never wanted!)**

On the megaship, Andros was staring blankly at the stars. Behind him, Cassie and Carlos were discussing the best way to get the other two rangers back.

'**She looked away… Why would she look away if she was evil? If she didn't care about me, why would she look away?**' He thought.

He stood up, much to the surprise of his remaining team-mates. Ignoring their questions, he walked to the lift.

He calmly walked halfway to Ashley's room, but then the need to know took over him and he ran. He burst into the room and looked around.

The picture of the turbo rangers that she'd always had next to her bed was gone, as was the one of the astro rangers that had recently joined it. As he looked around the room more thoroughly, he noticed a lot of things were missing. Mostly things Ashley really cared about, like the scrapbook-come-photo-album she'd made with Cassie, or the lucky wench she'd gotten during her turbo days.

'**Another persona.'** He thought in relief. Then he frowned**. 'But that means she's working with Astronema.'**

The red ranger sat on the floor and leant against Ashley's bed**. 'It would explain why Astronema hasn't attacked lately, but why…'** Andros groaned mentally. **'Astronema hasn't attacked since Ashley collapsed. The day we found Karone. The day Sabrina came here. But how did they meet? The dark fortress has never been anywhere near earth that I can remember, not until Zordon was captured. So Ashley must have been travelling in space. Which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.'**

Andros sighed, wishing that the enigmatic yellow ranger was there to explain it. Hell, he wished she was there point blank.

He looked at one of the photos she'd left behind, and smiled. It was one of her and him sitting next to each other at the park picnic area, and both of them were looking to the left of the person who took the picture. Neither of them were smiling, although they looked quite happy all the same.

It struck Andros that they looked like a couple. The next thought that struck him was that when she came back, he wanted to be a couple.

Just as he got his mind around this, he felt something stir in the back of his head.

Zhane was awake.

Andros passed Cassie and Carlos as they came out of the megalift, and they grabbed his arms to stop him from running off again.

"Dude, what's with you?" Cassie asked.

Andros decided not to let them know the truth. "I just had to leave. But now, we gotta get to the engine room, there's someone you should meet."

Cassie and Carlos shrugged, and did as he asked.

Andros led them to the healing chamber, and the morphed silver ranger stumbled out of it the second he opened the door.

"Andros? What's going on? Who are these people? Why was I in there?" Zhane asked.

"Long story Zhane. You were injured in the final battle on KO-35, two years ago." Andros said, hesitantly.

Zhane removed his helmet. "You're right, that is a long story. Mind telling me?"

Andros laughed. "Sure. First of all, this is Cassie."

"Hi."

"And this is Carlos."

"Nice to meet you."

Andros turned to leave with one arm around Zhane's shoulder, but then changed his mind.

"Hey, you guys can come too. It'll save time, because I'll have to explain to you guys too. And when the others return, you can tell them." He said to Cassie and Carlos.

"Others?" Zhane asked, powering down.

LATER

"Ouch. This Astronema wouldn't happen to be that girl who kept trashing Keyota, would it?" Zhane asked.

"She hasn't had pink hair since then, but yes." Andros smiled.

Cassie looked appalled. "She had pink hair? Like my colour pink?"

Zhane and Andros started falling over themselves to assure her that this was not the case.

"NO!" They both yelled.

"It was more of a pinky-purply colour. Not really pink at all…" Zhane blathered.

Andros had to add something. "Not to mention it was covered in this hideous silver tiara, complete with a black veil."

Carlos interrupted them.

"Zhane, I wish you could have met Ashley and TJ. You'd like them. When we get them back, we'll have to have a party." He said.

Zhane frowned. "From what you've said, I don't think so. Ashley sounds weird, and TJ doesn't sound much better. All these alter egos, what's the point?"

"I don't know… Maybe something along the lines of protecting their identities, and continuing to be rangers." Carlos said, sarcastically.

Zhane looked up in surprise. "Hey, don't take it personally. I'm just saying it's ridiculous. I mean, it's like a _Madres_ girl marrying a properly brought up Kerovan boy. Am I right Andros?"

"No."

Zhane turned to the other two, then registered what his best friend had said. "WHAT?"

Andros sighed. "Zhane, what's the main difference between us and Carlos?"

Zhane blinked. "He has a different skin tone than us…we have powers…"

"What's the difference between Cassie and a Madres girl?"

"Someone from Madres has powers… But their powers are uncontrolled, they're different to us!" Zhane protested.

Andros rolled his eyes. He remembered spouting almost that exact same argument. "Times have changed Zhane. I've changed, and I can honestly say that Madres aren't that different to us, unless you're a religious freak." Andros said, bluntly.

Zhane blanched. "A what freak?"

Cassie laughed weakly. "Looks like you picked up more earth lingo than first thought Andros."

Andros nodded in agreement. "Just to help me some more, what's a birthday? Ashley said a girl on the cheerleading squad had a birthday coming up."

"It's when we celebrate the day we were born. In America and a few other countries, we're given gifts and a cake, occasionally money, and there's almost always a party." Carlos explained.

Andros nodded, and made a decision. "We're too upset for training, take some time off and teach Zhane the basics of getting a meal on earth. Don't let him eat anything spicy, and I'll see you guys later. I've got some work to do."

Reluctantly, Cassie and Carlos did as he asked. Once they were gone (about half an hour later, it took a while to find grey clothes in Zhane's size), Andros went straight to the bridge.

"Alpha, DECA, when is Ashley's birthday?" He asked.

"In three days time she'll be sixteen. Why do you want to know?" Alpha replied.

Andros gave the robot a look. "Because I know she didn't turn. Neither did TJ."

Both the AI and the robot began protesting.

"DECA, Ashley's favourite trinkets are missing. She was planning this." Andros said. "Please send a message to her, I know you know where she is and how to contact her."  
"What shall I say Andros?" DECA asked, resignedly.

"Ask her to meet me at the Angel Grove war memorial in three days time at eight. Dressed as herself, not Ashley Hammond or Ashlyn Starr, or anyone else. As herself. Tell Sabrina and TJ I said hi, and tell anyone else they're with the same." Andros said, after a moment thought.

He had a plan.

On the RV, Ashley was teaching Adam how to put it on autopilot.

"You just type in the coordinates right here…" She said. "And **let go** of the steering wheel!"

Adam did as she asked. "Are you sure it's safe?" He asked, nervously.

"Yup. Now come with me, we need to make arrangements."

Everyone was sitting in the dining room when the message came.

"Okay, we'll stop at Stone Canyon and Lee will train with Adam's old sensei. He'll also go to school, and we'll train for battle. TJ, you'll need to get a handle of your new weapon and your powers, while Cat and Adam will need to adjust to the Astro morphers." Ashley ordered. "Sabrina and I will train together."

Everyone agreed. Just as they were about to leave, the communicator system sparked to life.

"Ashley, Andros has discovered your deceit. He sends this message." DECA said. She then played what Andros had said.

"Ashley? Ashley, are you okay?" Lee asked. His sister didn't usually have white skin. "Did he upset you?"

Everyone waited for their shell-shocked unofficial leader to snap out of her trance.

"How did he find out?" She whispered to the room in general.

No one answered.

"How can I get to Angel Grove if we're in Stone Canyon?" Ashley asked. Once again, no answer. "What am I going to wear?"

Cat laughed at the look that suddenly appeared on the males' faces. "To the mall!"

TJ grabbed Lee, and the three males ran for their lives.

Sabrina yelled. "Guys, it's good weight training!" She had been well educated on earth customs, and was happy to get some new clothes. Ashley hadn't gotten her that many.

Ashley looked up smiling. "The mall's not that far away from where we're parking. It's still miles away though, we're on a road instead of being in the sky…"

"What should we do until we reach it?" Cat asked, standing up.

"Lets go to my room, and we'll see what 'The Angel Grove News Crew' knows." Sabrina suggested.

They did, and laughed their heads off at the theories that they had come up with regarding the disappearance of 'two newcomers to Angel Grove' and 'a well respected martial artist, and the foster father of one of the newcomers.' Especially at the one involving Ashlyn Starr, and a love affair with Astronema's never before heard of brother, Astronomico.

"How did they explain Jay Shadows?" Ashley laughed.

"They said he was Astronomico, and Adam is being turned into a quantron because he's your ' biological dad's long lost son'!" Cat said, whenever she could stop laughing long enough.

"We are taping this, right?" Sabrina checked.

"DUH!"

"Just checking."


	19. Shortest chapter of story

**Hello all you wonderful people who review! Does anyone have any ideas what TJ's weapon can be? Remember, alliteration isn't necessary. Pirate themed if possible, although Cutlass has been taken.**

**This is a slightlylate birthday present to AH/AY! Her birthday was the 30th of June, and she is now nineteen years old.**

**Sorry it's such a short chapter, the date deserves an entire chapter dedicated to it, this is just a background piece really. I can't really put it in with The Date, but I can't leave it out either so…. Yeah.**

**Review Response next chapter!**

After the shopping trip, Sabrina and Ashley trained together as planned. Although they had a training room in the RV (remember, Emma helped with the project and she used her magic, so it's bigger inside than it is outside), the weather was simply too good to train indoors!

TJ was in the forest nearby, while Cat and Adam were in the training room, morphed. Lee was asleep; he'd had an exhausting week.

"So…" Sabrina asked casually. "What're you gonna do?"

"About?"

"Andros, three days from now. Ring any bells?" Sabrina said, as she executed a high kick to the makeshift dummy.

Ashley smiled. "Time out. Since when are you interested?"

"Since you didn't deny you liked him." Sabrina replied, sitting down on the fence that surrounded their campsite.

Ashley joined her. "I have no idea what I'm going to do."

"You know what you're wearing, right?" Sabrina asked, worriedly.

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Duh! Jeans, T-shirt, trainers and a jacket. He said to go as myself, so that's what I'm going to do."

"Ashley, why are you going? You know as well as I do, we can still pull this off." Sabrina asked.

Ashley looked away. "I don't know." She said softly. "All I know is that I wouldn't be able to handle it if I had to hurt him. I can't pretend around him, not for long. My stupid feelings won't let me."

"Do you want the rest of us to come along with you? We'll go to the carnival…" Sabrina suggested.

Ashley looked back at her friend. "I'd appreciate that."

THREE DAYS LATER

"Ashley," Adam said patiently. "Stop pacing. We'll be there in a few minutes."

The aforementioned ranger stopped just long enough to glare at him. "What if we're late?"  
"We're travelling in the air, and smashing all the laws of gravity and speed. We are not going to be late." Adam reassured her.

"What if someone sees us?"

"The invisibility shield will prevent that."

"Where are we going to park?"

Adam rolled his eyes, and tried to remember why he had volunteered for this mission. He wouldn't have if he'd known it would involve calming Ashley before she went on a date.

Lee walked in, and Adam remembered what he was fighting for, a chance to help people again. Lee was living proof things could turn out all right, after everything his family had been through he was a fairly average kid, except he could probably kick ass, even unmorphed. Morphed, with his Storm Daggers, he could definitely kick quantron butt.

Lee grinned at Adam. "Be grateful you're here."

Adam blinked.

Lee laughed, and hastened to explain. "Catalina and Sabrina discovered the shopping channel."

TJ came into the room. Ashley had stopped pacing by now, and asked him why he looked like he'd run a marathon.

"Catalina wanted to know what protection was." He answered.

Using the Rogue link, he told her what type of 'protection'.

Ashley groaned, and ran to the TV room.

All was silent in the room for several moments, until Lee decided he didn't like the quiet.

"At least she isn't pacing anymore."

When they finally arrived at Angel Grove Park, Adam parked in the woods.

TJ, Adam and Ashley put on imagers, while the others just started walking to the carnival.

As Ashley turned to walk to the memorial, TJ grabbed her by the elbow. "Ash, what's the new plan?"

Ashley looked him in the eyes. "What do you mean?"

'_**Ashley Hammond cheerleader persona, interesting.**_' TJ thought. "You heard me."

Ashley visibly deflated. "Well, this one's been shot to hell because of Andros… So we're rejoining the Astro rangers in three days.

We'll destroy the Dark Fortress while Ecliptor and Elgar are in battle in two days, and then all five of us will live on the megaship again. We'll have to come clean about being Madres, and a bunch of other stuff…."

"And hope they don't throw us into the nearest black hole?" Adam suggested.

Ashley nodded, and pulled away from TJ. The guys went to the carnival, while Ashley took a deep breath and walked to the memorial.

She hoped Andros wasn't too mad at her for disappearing, and wondered why he wanted to meet her today of all days.


	20. The Date

**AN Sorry it took me forever to update.**

**Sakura-angel113- Glad you like it, and this chapter isn't short at all!**

**AH/AY- Yeah, it had to happen sometime. Glad you thought it was funny, and you're a great author, of course we're all going to try make your B-Day special! I'm sorry it took so long to update, and you've come up with much stranger plots. Remember the quads?**

**Phantom Rogue- He probably will do something stupid, seeing as he's been quite smart in this fic. Thanks for the idea, but I've decided against it. TJ's gonna have to make do with**

**Slytherin-Angel44- Glad you like it!**

**DizneeDol- Glad you like it, and here's more!**

**Just Jill- Ashley's new to the leader thing, and she's never had to go missing this way before, so she's just making it up as she goes along. She's bound to make a few mistakes.**

THE CARNIVAL, WALKING AROUND

Adam had taken Lee to the part of the fair with rides, while TJ had wandered off, leaving Sabrina and Catalina standing awkwardly next to the fortune telling tent. Neither of the two girls knew quite enough about earth to know how to interact with anyone or to know what to do in any circumstances, so they settled for walking and talking, and watching people to learn how they should act.

As a clown on stilts walked passed, both girls burst out laughing.

"I think it's safe to say we shouldn't do that!" Catalina laughed.

Sabrina nodded her agreement. "Hey Cat, do you mind if I ask you something?"

Cat shook her head, her brown eyes sparkling. "Ask away."  
"You lived on earth." Sabrina began. "So why don't you know what to do?"

Cat looked at the ground, embarrassed. "The place I lived in was different to Angel Grove. I lived in a mountain village called Felix. We got our water from a well, and there was only one school, a baker, a butcher, a grocer, and a seamstress who sold cloth to make a little extra money.

The village was small with walls to protect us from wind and sand that might blow up from the desert. The roads were so narrow that three people walking side-by-side would have covered most of them, so there were no cars. It was hard to get electricity, so we only used it for emergencies. As for anything that needed an electronic signal, forget it! We were in a mountain, with high winds up above, and a desert down below, if you were lucky you might have gotten your radio to work once every three months for five seconds. The nearest city was an hours drive away, and I heard that it was a wonderful place."

Sabrina looked at Catalina in awe. To adjust from such a sheltered life to the hardships of space and then war was something that could make or break a person. Clearly, Catalina had survived and thrived.

"Why didn't you ever see the city?" She asked Catalina.

"My father wouldn't let me."

Sabrina nodded, and this was why she didn't see the person in front of her.

He yelped as she crashed into him, both of them falling down in the process.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Sabrina apologised, helping him up.

Zhane smiled at her. "It's okay. Even someone as beautiful as you is entitled to be clumsy occasionally."

Sabrina blushed, while Cat rolled her eyes in the background. Humans were humans, and she definitely knew what flirting was.

"Oh? And why are you so certain it was my fault?" Sabrina demanded, jokingly. Cat pretended to gag, much to the amusement of the two people behind Zhane.

Zhane tapped him chin as he pretended to think. "Because you apologised?"

"Fair enough." Sabrina smiled.

Zhane smiled right back. "Hey, do you want to go get a drink or something? With me?"

"I'd love to."

Cat watched as they walked off.

"Sure, just abandon me why don't cha?" She grumbled. "Hi, I'm Cat, and the girl who just left is Sabrina. Can I please hang out with you two? I'm new to this part of the world, and I've never been to a carnival before." She smiled, turning to Carlos and Cassie.

Carlos smiled at her. "The guy who just left is Zhane. I'm Carlos, and personally I'd be honoured if you would join us."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "I'm Cassie, and I'm gonna get out of here before all this flirting makes me puke."

And with that, Cassie stomped off.

Carlos looked after Cassie worriedly. "I hope she's okay."

Catalina realised that these two were close friends.

Carlos shook himself out of his reverie. "Do you want to play some of these games? If I win a prize, you get to keep it."

Catalina smiled. "I'd like that."

THE CARNIVAL, FOOD GROUP

Cassie walked until she couldn't see Catalina or Carlos anymore, then stopped to catch her breath. She wondered if Carlos had noticed that Zhane had left with Andros's little sister.

As she was pondering this, she looked around, and saw she was in the area of the carnival where the food was sold. To her dismay, there was even a cotton candy stall.

"Hey." A strangely familiar voice came from behind her. "Are you okay?"

Cassie realized tears were running down her face. "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" She said, rubbing the tears away.

TJ frowned at her. "You didn't look okay to me."

'**Who does this guy think he is, my rescuer?' **Cassie thought bitterly. "Well I am, so there."

TJ realised she didn't recognise him. A brief mental war staged in his head, ending with a decision.

"Hey, I didn't mean anything by it!" He said, putting his hands up in a surrendering manner. "As my apology for offending, I'll get you a sugary ball of fluff."

Ignoring her protests, he led her to the cotton candy vendor.

"What'll ya have?" The woman asked him.

"A pink stick of cotton candy and a blue one please." TJ said, smiling at Cassie.

"We don't have blue, just pink and green." The woman said, annoyed.

TJ recovered quickly. "Then just give my friend the pink, I'm partial to blue."

Cassie heard alarm bells ringing in her head as he handed her the promised apology. She took it in her right hand.

"Nice little gadget you got there." TJ said, motioning at her morpher. "I used to have one identical to that, except it was in blue. Before that, I had a different style in red."

Cassie's brain was still catching up with her, so she didn't think before asking a question that in hindsight seemed really stupid. "What do you mean used to?"

He showed her his new morpher; grateful he hadn't melted it into his skin. "I'm still the blue guy. I'm just part of a slightly different group, and I've got a new name. I miss the old team a lot though so much I'm visiting them in a few days. I hope they forgive me; I really scared them when I took off. They probably think I've been kidnapped or something."

Cassie froze. "TJ?"

He nodded, and leant down to kiss her gently. "Take care Cass. We'll be back sooner than expected, so tell Carlos not to worry."

He left with a smile, while Cassie was still in a state of shock.

Unknown to either of them, Mrs S called her boss just then from her booth. She was selling hotdogs to cover for her husband. He couldn't make it to work that day, so she'd stepped up to serve grease and to smell like onions.

And wow, was she grateful she had!

THE CARNIVAL, FERRIS WHEEL

"So…" Zhane began, leaning back into his chair. "What did you say your name was?"

Sabrina looked up from her drink, amused. "I didn't, but my friends call me Sabrina."

"My friends call me stupid," Zhane smiled. "But feel free to call me Zhane."

Sabrina laughed, and asked him if she could have some of his fries.

"Get your own." He pouted. "These are all mine!"

She shrugged, and took three from his plate anyway. "So? Hey, do you want to go on one of the rides?"

Zhane moved his fries away from her. "Sure. Once we've finished eating."

Sabrina nodded. "You'd better start eating then, I've only got my milkshake left."

"Where'd you hamburger go?" Zhane gawped.

Sabrina rolled her eyes and started sipping her strawberry explosion milkshake.

When both had finished, they began to walk towards the Ferris wheel.

"Where are you from?" Sabrina asked suddenly. She had a sneaky suspicion his hair colour was natural, which would mean one of his ancestors had had Mycenae, or he had had it at some point.

Zhane did a mental check on what Cassie had drilled into his head. "Piedmont, North Dakota. It's different to here because it's so far out west, but it's similar because of the whole 'small town' thing. One big difference is that a hot girl in a skin-tight black outfit doesn't attack us, and we're not rescued by multi coloured superheroes."

Sabrina smiled at the accidental compliment. "I heard Astronema hasn't attacked in a while, that there's only been two monsters, and one was eleven days ago, the other was three."

**'She's well informed.'** Zhane thought. **'Maybe she used to be a ranger or something like that.'**

They got on to their seats of the Ferris wheel, and continued talking. Both of them were altering the truth to make it less space/ranger like, but they learnt some things about each other.

"Hey. We're at the top!" Sabrina said, gleefully. "Look, you can see the war memorial."

"I'd rather look at you." Zhane said quietly, not realising he'd said it out loud.

Sabrina heard him, and smiled. She'd been doing that a lot lately.

'**I wonder if dating is the same here as it is on KO-35?**' Zhane mused**. 'From what Cassie and Carlos have said, it's a bit more casual and the 'no sex before marriage' rule isn't always followed… But they didn't say what classifies as a date! And I really want this to be a date.'**

Sabrina's thoughts followed a similar pattern. "Um, Zhane?" She began.

When he turned to her, she pressed her lips against his. When she pulled back, she smiled at him nervously.

"I guess this is a date then." Zhane stuttered, blushing.

Sabrina laughed. "I guess it is."

ANGEL GROVE PARK, WAR MEMORIAL

Ashley walked up the path that led to the memorial; almost wishing she was fighting evil. Her stomach wasn't reacting well to her nervousness, and she felt strangely light headed, like she wasn't really in one piece.

When she reached the memorial, no one was there. Sighing, she sat down on the bench and waited.

She wasn't kept waiting long.

**'She looks nervous. I've never seen her like this before. I suppose I should just go over there and give her her birthday present or at least let her know I'm here.'** Andros thought. **'Here goes everything.'**

He walked out from behind the memorial without her noticing. "Hey."

Ashley yelped and whipped around. Andros had managed to sneak up on her. Actually, that was an understatement. He was right behind her, and she hadn't heard, seen, or _felt_ a thing.

"Andros!" She stuttered, one hand on her heart. "You scared me."

Andros smiled. "I kinda guessed that. Nice outfit, you look beaut… great. You look great."

Ashley blushed and looked down at her outfit. She was wearinga yellow long sleeved top with a purple stripe around the middle, plain jeans and her favourite pair of shoes, her trusty trainers! "Thanks."

An awkward silence fell upon the two.

Andros swung himself over the back of the bench to sit next to her. "Happy birthday Ashley."

Ashley started. "I forgot about that."

Andros held out a well-wrapped box. "We don't celebrate birthdays on KO-35, but from what the others taught me, it's not exactly something you forget."

Ashley smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, well I've been busy lately." She froze when she saw the necklace in the box. Andros watched her nervously, but he relaxed as a small smile crept onto her face.

The necklace was a pale gold pendant in the shape of an arrowhead, with a yellow gem set in its slender shape.

"Andros… Thank you so much, I love it!" Ashley exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck.

Andros helped her put on the necklace. "Ashley, do you trust me?" He asked.

Ashley couldn't stop the look of panic that flashed across her face. "Why are you asking?"

"I wanna take you somewhere, but I don't want you to run off." He assured her.

Ashley quickly weighed up her options. Then she threw logic out the window and followed her instincts.

"Sure."

"Okay, stand up." Andros said, only slightly nervous now. "And take my hand."

Ashley obliged, but had to force herself not to pull away when Andros raised his morpher to his lips.

"DECA, teleport two to the observatory."

The world vanished in a blur of red and gold light, reminding Ashley that she was only purple by Rogue rules. By general ranger philosophy, she was pure yellow.

As they reappeared in the observatory, Andros sat down on some blankets, pulling her down as he did.

"Andros, what…" Ashley tried to ask.

Andros stopped her with a kiss; just as short and sweet as the one she had given him three days before. Ashley closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss, just as Andros drew back.

"Look up." He whispered as his lips left hers.

Ashley opened her eyes and gasped. Even travelling on the RV, she had never seen so many stars so clearly. Or maybe she had, but hadn't paid them any attention?

They lay down on the blankets without thinking about it, or about how close they still were.

"Why did you bring me here?" Ashley asked quietly, not wanting to break the silence.

"Hayley's Comet is in the system tonight, and I know you wouldn't go to the normal observatory… And it's better here anyway. More private." Andros explained, blushing when he realised the implications of what he had said.

Ashley giggled and put her head on his shoulder. It was the only way to be really close to him and keep the stars in her sight. Andros stiffened slightly, but relaxed after a few seconds and put an arm around her waist. They fell asleep about ten minutes before midnight.

They stayed that way until three o'clock in the morning, when Ashley woke up and sensed (via DECA) that the others were back, and heading towards them.. After putting her side of the blanket over the sleeping Andros so he wouldn't be too uncomfortable, she kissed him and teleported to the RV.

'**I am so dead.'** She thought as she crept to her room. **'They're gonna think that I… That Andros and I… Oh crap.'**

TJ smiled at Ashley from his spot on her bed. "So…" He grinned. "How was your date?"


	21. Madre

**Dizneedol- It'll come out in the next update**

**Slytherin-Angel44- It won't happen until next time.**

**Phantom Rogue- What would you think? Sorry it wasn't soon…**

**AH/AY- Sorry it wasn't soon…**

**Sakura-angel114- Sorry it wasn't soon.**

**Sasja- Glad you like it, _SIWS_** **and I don't think he means to be romantic, he just wants her to have fun. In his company.**

**Nicky- Glad you like it.**

"Ashley, time to wake up! We're headed for Angel Grove, and I don't know where to tell the RV where to park!" Adam yelled, banging on the purple rangers door.

Ashley opened the door and stormed passed the surprised blue ranger. Three days had passed since 'The Date', and she had a sinking feeling that everything was going to fall apart. The rangers were preparing to leave earth, so Ecliptor and Elgar were probably going to attack Angel Grove, all the odd were in their favour…

And she still had the feeling that the entire thing was going to blow up in her face.

After helping Adam, she decided to make a phone call.

"Hello, Hammond residence. No, we won't talk to a reporter." Jeff answered.

"Hey Jeff."

"Ashley? What are you doing, it's way too risky to call us!"

"Asking for help in a Rogue mission. Lee's old enough to join in; we've got two astro rangers and a former evil princess. And I'm having a heart attack."

"What?"

"Meet us at the old beach road in ten minutes if you want to find out!"

"Wait, tell me…."

Ashley hung up before he could finish.

Consequently, Jeff and Emma were filled in on the situation while flying to the Dark Fortress.

"Cloaks on everybody." Jeff ordered. "It's time."  
"For what?" Sabrina asked sarcastically.

"An adventure." Jeff answered. "Something we have to do that will help other people." He added hastily, feeling his sister's gaze burning into the back of his neck.

"Good save Jeff." Ashley smirked, ruffling his hair.

He rolled his eyes then put on his eye mask and put up his hood and mouth scarf.

Everyone else did the same, excluding Sabrina.

They teleported onto the Dark Fortress. That was when Ashley's bad feeling began to make sense, starting with the fact that Elgar and Ecliptor were both on the bridge. With lots and lots of quantrons.

"Ecliptor?" Sabrina asked, tentatively. "What's going on?"

Ecliptor looked at her sadly. "Your betrayal was discovered when you came to Angel Grove. You were seen with the silver ranger."

"Silver ranger? Zhane?" Sabrina asked, in shock.

Elgar stepped forward. "This is boring. Quantrons attack!"

"Lets Rocket!" Adam and Catalina yelled.

"Rogue activate!" The four rogue rangers cried. Sabrina barely had time to note that their uniforms were the darkest shade of their colour possible when the quantrons struck. The battle wore on for some time, eventually ending with the rangers retreating.

"Sabrina?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah?"

"Do you feel up to following the rangers?"  
"Lets go. I hope we run into some bad guys."

Lee leaned over. "Why?"

"So I can try out Ashley's punching bag therapy." Sabrina explained.

Everyone smiled. They had learnt very quickly that if something was bothering her, Ashley got it out of her system by fighting. It worried Emma and Jeff, but they knew Ashley had been severely traumatized by the last nine years or so. She was far too 'tough' to talk things over.

They followed the rangers to an unknown planet. When they teleported down, still morphed, Adam was the only one who didn't suddenly fear for his life.

They'd landed at the Kerovan rebel base.

The Astro rangers stared at them, while the rebels readied their weapons. The Rogues carefully arranged their cloaks to cover the symbols on their uniforms, hoping no one remembered to look at the shoulders.

No such luck. "You're those Rogue rangers that vanished a few years back. Who are the others?" A woman demanded.

"Ashley, TJ? What's going on?" Cassie asked. Ashley took some comfort from the fact she was looking at the Astro rangers.

Catalina stepped forward, her hands up in the star trek sign. "We come in peace!"

Emma couldn't stop the laugh that came out. "Way to go Neko, they know we're from earth!"

"Worse." Jeff added, a grin in his voice. "They know she's a trekkie."

Carlos smiled at the yellow ranger, who was surprised to say the least. "I know you're not Ashley. Can you please take your helmets off?"

Adam pulled Catalina back. "That depends. What do you think Phantom?"

Jeff shrugged. "Do what you want. Who are those people in the back?"

Everyone turned to see almost all the old rangers from earth. Billy, Jason, Trini, Zack, Kim, Tommy, Aisha, Rocky, Kat, Tanya, and Justin were all there in a line.

Tanya was the first to speak. "We're looking for a team mate of ours, and our scanners say he's here."

Billy scanned the room again. "Adam, if you're here this is neither the time or place to be playing around."

The Rogues were in shock. This was not going to plan!

"Rana, Neko. Do what you want." Emma commanded, her helmet facing the original rangers. Ashley and TJ silently placed bets on which ranger she was looking at, then agreed not to collect the money. They'd both put ten dollars on Rocky.

"Rana?" Adam asked, confused, he took his helmet off anyway.

"Frog." Ashley answered, as he was attacked by all his old teammates.

Cat and Lee couldn't help but laugh at their friend's face as he was bombarded with questions.

Sabrina didn't laugh, worried that the astro rangers would put the pieces together.

And the other four were silently freaking out, although Jeff and Emma's reason were different to the other twos.

When Adam had been welcome back by all his old friends, a heavy silence fell upon the room.

"Star, Phantom, Eclipse, Storm, Shadow. My helmet will remain on." Catalina informed them.

"Ronnie? Will you remain as you are?" Lee asked the heavily cloaked Sabrina.

Sabrina merely nodded in response.

All of a sudden, Ashley groaned in both pain and frustration. "THAT DAMN PATTERN'S HERE!" She yelled angrily. "In the name of all that is good, why me? Why did I have to be the one who got stalked by the most annoying technology pattern in the universe?" She continued ranting, while everyone else looked on in bewilderment.

TJ worked out a way to shut her up. "Shut it or I'll take your cloak."

She took it off and threw it at him, forgetting where she was.

The rebels gasped. "A Madre ranger!"

"They must be the spies!"

"Lock them away!" An old man yelled.

Ashley barely had time to blink before she and all the other rangers (excluding Andros, Cassie, Zhane and Carlos) were thrown into a cell by some guards.

TJ sent a message to Ashley through the Rogue link. **'Grandma says hi, and welcome to Madre. Did you know you look a lot like Aunt Jena?'**

'**What?' **Ashley sent back. '**That doesn't make… Oh my god, that makes perfect sense!' **

Ashley refused to look up from the ground as everything began to slot into place.

'_She looked up from the floor and glared at her mother, who was staring at her hand like she had never seen it before.'_

"_I swear on the doll dad gave me last Christmas."_

'_He could separate his soul from his body.'_

'_Ignacio was a warp hole maker, but he no longer used his powers.'_

"_Your kind never stood a chance against the Sears, weak, pathetic, fools!"_

'_Ashley realized that Stripes, the doll, had a necklace.'_

"_Before Mara married that monster?"_

'_She was trapped on a stairwell with an anorexic madwoman.'_

'_Both his parents had been killed in a random drive by shooting.'_

"_Three of them quit being Nannies, six of them went into an institution, and the other three tried to hire hit men to kill me."_

'_She saw a DNA test taken just before his parents' death.'_

"_Mom made him have a vasectomy so he would be able to end his affairs with no strings."_

'_Why had they used her father's DNA, of all the men in the world, to create Lee?'_

"_My uncle Ignacio said his work was at a crucial point and he would not tolerate a child."_

'_He was made of so much machinery; she always knew it was him.'_

"Sabrina!" Ashley yelled. "Where are you?"

Sabrina pushed her way through the rangers to where Ashley was. "What's up?" She asked, pulling down her scarf.

"How old were you when you met Ecliptor?"

Sabrina blinked in confusion. "Seven."

"You were kidnapped when you were five. What happened?"

Sabrina raced through her memories. "They told me that I'd been in a coma, recovering from my injuries. They said that the rangers had left me for dead, and if they hadn't found me I would have been. I remember my head hurt, and the rest of me was stiff."

The final piece of the puzzle slotted into place.

She yelled at the top of her voice. "EVERYBODY SHUT UP!"

"Now, I know you're probably really mad at me right now, but we need your help." She pleaded. "Please."

Tommy stepped forward. "Why should we help you?"

Ashley smiled under her helmet. "Billy, Zack! Where have you heard the name Ashlyn Starr before?"

Several sets of jaws hit the ground.

"Power Down!" Ashley yelled, revealing her identity to all her friends and predecessors.

Jason was the first to react, sweeping her up into a bear hug.

The other Rogues revealed themselves.

"JEFF!" Aisha yelled, running towards her boyfriend. "You're a ranger too, this is great!"

Rocky just walked over to Emma and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Awww. Emma's in love!" Lee whispered to Sabrina.

"GUYS! As much as I've missed you all, we can have a reunion later. We have to get out of this damn cell first!" Ashley yelled.

A FEW MINUTES LATER

The rangers walked into the throne room, which was where the rest of the rangers were as well as the leaders of the rebels.

"What? How did you escape?" Zhane yelled in disgust. "Did you use your _powers?_"

All the earth and rogue rangers kept walking to the thrones.

Emma was the one who spoke first. Standing in front of the green throne, she tossed her head for dramatic affect. "You have a traitor amongst you."

TJ was next. "And the Queen of Madre has unfinished business with him."

A general stepped forward. "What in Vero's name are you talking about?"

He was trapped in a cage seconds later, and a woman appeared in the centre of the room.

"What do you think? I have to renounce you my son."

"Yatru, is this true?" The woman said. Tykwa.

"He's not Yatru. His name now is Darkonda, but it used to be Prince Ignacio of Madre." The woman smiled. " I was, in life, Queen Bijin of Madre. Mother of Elvin, Ignacio, and Jena. Now, the responsibilities of ruler have been passed to five of my six grandchildren, and I am grateful for it."

Ashley was really confused at this point.

"Pleasantries shall come later." Bijin smirked. "Ignacio, I hereby renounce you as heir, and I renounce your brother Elvin as heir, and my Grandson by Jena, I renounce him as heir. This leaves the crown to the five of whom I have spoken, and several others who I feel can rule and protect this planet."

"You mean they're freaks of nature." A male voice said.

Bijin whirled around angrily. "It means that they have been chosen for greatness, unlike your son! Or were you not listening when I disowned him Arden? What do you think Jethro, are we freaks of nature, or free?" She yelled at her son in law, and Andros's father.

Jethro, Andros's dad, glared at the queen of Madre. "Freaks."

Zhane paled drastically.

Ashley decided to take charge before everything went to hell, now she had an inkling of what was happening. "Ignacio, why did you destroy Elvin's body?"

Yatru fell back into his true form, as Ignacio. "To stop him from returning of course! He was planning to abandon the alliance of evil for his family!"

"What did you do to Mara, and the nannies?" Ashley demanded.

"Delusion powder. The only antidote is nectar, something they never tasted."

"Why did you create 12-4-4?"

"To be evil! Why else? If you hadn't stolen him away, he would have become the prince of evil, especially now Astronema has turned."

"Why did you work with the Sears? Who are they?" Ashley demanded.

"They are Kerovan traitors, very intelligent family. Why did you kill Mario?" Ignacio sneered.

"That was an accident, I only meant to disarm him." Ashley yelled. "How did you know it was me who broke into the base?"

"The other two were busy stealing the next batch of child weapons from the Sears."

Emma felt bile rising in her throat, and everyone else who knew what Ignacio was talking about felt similarly ill.

"Is that what you were doing to those kids?"

"Yes, they would have made excellent Quantrons eventually."

"Why did you kidnap Karone of KO-35?"

"She was meant to be the yellow ranger, but my darling niece took over that position."

Andros balked.

"Did you arrange the murder of Melanie and Kayode Johnson?"

Ignacio smiled. "Theodore was meant to be included. Emma is enough of a bother, I don't need another heir."

"Emma? Your daughter?"

"Yes."

"Did you ever love her?" Emma broke in.

"Of course not."

"What about Afryea, why did you keep her by your side?" Jeff asked, finally catching on to what Ashley was doing.

"To keep her under my control, I can't have her telling the universe about me. Besides, she can be very **_pleasant_** company."

Again, Emma thought she would be reacquainted with her breakfast.

"Who was Garry Davies?"

"Scum that I hired to take care of Elvin's wife and children. Brother dearest had ordered for a Nanny from Madre to teach them about their powers, I had to stop that. Unfortunately, he desired the fortune more than anything else, and the kids went missing when he learnt he couldn't have it."

Ashley decided to ask one risky question. "Mrs Salmon from social services, is she in your employment?"

Ignacio smirked and nodded. "She was very instrumental in disrupting Ashley's life."

Lee took advantage of the fact Ignacio couldn't see his face and stuck his tongue out at him.

Emma pushed her hood back, and let her hair down. "Do you know who I am?"

Ignacio stared at her for several moments. "No, I don't think so."

"Emma Hifza Hammond."

His eyes widened as she took her bow and arrow and aimed.

"Goodnight daddy. I love you." She whispered, and fired.

The arrow struck him in the throat, and he died instantly.

Bijin looked on sadly. "I can't believe it came to this. Two of my children are dead, another tried to kill two of my grandchildren on a regular basis." She commented.

"You mean Ecliptor?" Ashley asked.

Bijin nodded. "He does not remember you or anything from Earth, he only knows what Dark Spectre and Darkonda programmed him to believe."

Bijin walked over to the thrones. "Phantom, I blessed you with your Madre name. I blessed you because like a phantom you are a silent observer, and only interfere if you absolutely have to.

Eclipse, your heritage is both black and white, yet you outshine even the brightest sun. I was pleased to bless you with your Madre name." Bijin said softly.

"Star, even in your darkest hour you forced yourself to shine, to give hope to others. That is why you were blessed with the Madre name of Star.

Shadow, you were unknown to all but me for many years. Your birth was surrounded with secrecy and shadows aided the secret of your true parentage. Yet you unknowingly embraced it every day, while holding on to the man you thought was your father. I am proud to say I blessed you with your Madre name.

Storm, you were born into destruction and hate, but were rescued by your sister. You were named for strength, and I believe you saved your sister from death many times, even if you didn't know it. You blessed name is for the world you know, and the way you can change it. You five are the heirs of Madre."

Bijin smiled. "All the rangers of earth are hereby declared as honorary citizens of Madre, and the Kerovan rebels can feel free to stay once we relocate closer to our original orbit."

Ashley turned to Sabrina. "The citizenship is also offered to the astro rangers and their families, if they wish it."

Sabrina pulled off her hood, and generally undid her disguise. "We'll talk about it."

Zhane's eyes were immediately drawn to her. "Sabrina?"

"Karone?" Jethro gasped.

Sabrina nodded, and ran to her father. "Isn't this cool? I'm a sorceress!"

And with that, she sent a wave of magic across the room, getting rid of the cage and the body within.

"Oh, don't worry angel. It isn't your fault, and I'm sure there's a way we can fix this… Perhaps telekinesis training can dispel your **_powers_**…" Jethro shuddered as he said the last word.

"Star?" Sabrina yelled. "I owe your uncle for saving me from this pig headed prejudiced society."

Turning back to her father, she smiled evilly. "I used to be Astronema, and although I'm not evil anymore, I will always be Astronema in a way. She's part of my life, and so are my powers. I like my powers, and quite frankly, you're wasting your time if you think I'm going to try and get rid of my magic."

She ran to Star. "I'll take that citizenship." A pink gem appeared on her wrist, complete with Rogue morpher.

Catalina smiled and tossed her hood back. "Can I have one too? Madre is my heritage. And I **_am_** the yellow ranger." This was evidenced by the rogue morpher on her wrist.

Everyone else put their hoods down too.

"Hey guys. I guess we've got some explaining to do." TJ smiled nervously.

Cassie nodded. "But first…"

She kissed him. "I missed you. Now start explaining."

All of Ashley's friends had their eyes on Carlos, Zhane and Andros. Trini had a hunch that she was in love with one of them.

"So… I'm going to say you're Zhane." Ashley smiled. "The ex heir of Madre. Apparently I look like your mom. Except for the hair."

Ashley realised she was babbling, and forced her gaze to turn to Andros.

"You're Madres?" He asked, with no emotion in his voice.

Ashley nodded.

"You used your powers on DECA to make her talk to me about Madre."

Ashley nodded again.

"You tricked me, you've probably been trying to deceive me since we met!" He yelled angrily.

"Andros, that's not true…" Ashley began, reaching out to him.

"Stay away from me you freak!"

Andros regretted that as soon as it left his mouth. Ashley's eyes watered and she ran out of the room, instinctively running to the Oujou. The royal palace.

Jason stepped forward, motioning for the others to follow his adopted little sister. "Hi, I'm Jason. The original red ranger of earth, and temporary gold ranger." He said. "And you upset a very good friend of mine."

And with that, he punched Andros in the gut.

Zhane tried to attack the former red, but Billy sent him flying. "That girl is like my sister. If anyone hurts her…"

"They have to answer to all of us." Tanya spoke.

Adam smiled at his girlfriend. "And we won't be happy."

Bijin smiled, and faded away in a bright light. She had faith that things would sort themselves out. Time for her afterlife.

ELSEWHERE

Ashley stumbled and fell to her knees in a corridor, crying.

Emma, Jeff, TJ and Lee found her this way.

"Oh Ashley…" Jeff sighed, pulling her close to him in a hug. "We always took you for granted, didn't we?"

"What's that got to do with anything?" Ashley mumbled.

Emma knelt down in front of her cousin. "You were always so strong, we thought you could handle our problems as well as your own. We were never strong for you."

"You never had a chance to break down." TJ added.

"And now I have, it's over a guy. How pathetic am I?" Ashley laughed bitterly. "I can't believe I wasted my first kiss on him."

Jeff just held her closer. He'd had no idea….

"Just as well I suppose." Ashley gulped. "I can't have a serious relationship. If the guy ever wanted kids, he'd have to look elsewhere."

Emma looked at Ashley in confusion. "What?"

TJ hastened to explain. "Ashley had to have her ovaries removed when she had Mycenae. It was so advanced, she's lucky to be alive. It would have affected her heart in another three days."

Emma and Jeff shared a look of distress. If only they had listened to Ashley when she said she was sick…

Ashley cried until she couldn't cry anymore. "Do you want to know what the worst part of this whole thing is?"

Lee raised his eyebrows, and wiped her tears. "What?"

"I think I fell in love with the jerk."


	22. Moving

**I know it's not long, or very good, but it is an update. I know I said I'd add to the chapter,and I'm sorry it's not much.Sorry for the wait by the way.**

**AH/AY- She does, doesn't she? Chapter one of Operation: Kill Maura will be up soon.**

**Slytherin-angel44- He wasn't thinking properly. Sorry for the wait.**

**Just Jill- I managed to confuse myself while writing that. Glad you liked it, and I'll try clear up any confusion in my next update.**

**Phantom Rogue- Not quite yet, but definitely next update. Andros getting beaten up was my hidden agenda when I wrote 'The big brother she never wanted'. My cousin Rachel threatened to do something like that if Darren ever hurt Sean, her brother and his boyfriend, so I had to use it!**

**Sakura-angel113- Glad you like it.**

**Cadence Michell- It's okay, I'm just glad you're reviewing now. Glad you like it!**

Cassie and Carlos both ignored the bruises their teammates had received and went to talk to Sabrina and Cat. Soon, it was obvious who were on the Rogue rangers' side. They were all gathered on one side of the room. Zhane and Andros stood in the middle, well, Andros was hunched over but you get the point, and all of the Kerovan rebel leaders were on the final side of the room.

Zhane turned to his father. "Is it true?"

Arden looked confused. "Is what true?"

"Was mom really a Madres girl?" Zhane clarified.

Arden nodded. "A princess actually. I didn't find out until I found a letter in her things, shortly after you were born. She begged me to raise you in the ways of her people in the event of her death. She wanted to taint you, the way she had been corrupted." Arden sighed. "She lied to me."

Zhane gulped back his tears. "What was her power?"

"She could see the future. Well, parts of it anyway. Does it matter?" Arden asked. "The only thing that matters is that I led you away from the path she took, the path she wanted you to take!"

Zhane stared at his father. "You raised me against her last request? Against everything she was?"

Arden blinked. "I raised you the right way Zhane."

Zhane shook his head and looked at Sabrina. "Room for one more?"

She nodded, and pulled him into a hug when he came in reach. "It'll be okay Zhane." She whispered.

"Thank you." He said back, releasing her.

So Andros was alone in the middle of the room. He knew that everyone was wondering which side he would choose. He was wondering himself.

On one hand, there were the people who had raised him, and the beliefs they had raised him with. There was the fact Ashley hadn't told him the truth, and the fact that her father was Ecliptor.

On the other hand, what choice had his beliefs given her but to lie? He didn't think she had pretended to be anyone else around him; she had always been herself, as much as she dared. She had turned him back into Andros, rather than the red ranger of KO-35. He could still feel her lips on his, and her head on his shoulder. The guilt caused by what he'd said to her was tearing him apart. And he wasn't much like his parents…

He'd managed to straighten up by the time Ashley walked in, followed by her family.

His heart ached as he saw the tear streaks on her cheeks.

Ashley's eyes met his, and he held her gaze, regret in his eyes.

'Regret for what?' She wondered. 'What we had, or what he said?'

Jeff whistled to get everyone's attention. "Okay, the enemy probably knows where we are. Now that the primary target has been terminated, which they are no doubt aware of, they will have no more use of keeping any of us alive. They will kill us unless we relocate.

Would anyone interested in helping us move the planet into a new, safer orbit follow us to the ceremonial room, which also served as a wedding chapel and ball room."

Ashley turned to TJ. "Lets go."

TJ nodded, and took her hand. They both closed their eyes and concentrated.

Blue light surrounded TJ, while their both hands turned purple. The purple crept up Ashley's arms, but was halted by the golden light that lit her face.

Andros caught his breath. She looked like an angel.

Ashley and TJ began to walk to the ceremonial room, using their combined powers to find their way. Most of the earth rangers were too freaked out by the fact neither of the two opened their eyes to notice the way Andros stared after Ashley. Cassie and her pink predecessors were the only ones to notice. Sabrina made a note of it as well.

Ten minutes later they arrived at their destination.

"Okay, does anyone know how this whole thing works?" Emma asked.

Ashley shook her head. "But I'm sure we can work it out. Billy, Trini, Justin, help me look for a switch. If anyone else here is a technology genius, help us."

Despite Ashley using her powers, it was Justin who found the switch.

"Ashley, I think I found it!" The twelve year old yelled happily.

Ashley came running over. "Way to go Justin!" She grinned, giving him a one armed hug. A stone in the wall had slipped away, revealing a gem shaped hole next to a panel.

Out of habit, Ashley typed in 3-3-5, and placed her amethyst in the hole. It glowed, and an unseen force threw her back.

"ASHLEY!" Jeff yelled, running to her side.

"Everyone, circle in the middle of the room." Emma ordered.

Confused, everyone obeyed, Jeff and Ashley included.

"Raise your hands so your fingertips are touching the next person's." TJ said, demonstrating.

"Close your eyes."

"And feel the power running through you again."

Everyone did, and unknown to them, they created a circuit. Power flowed from one person to the other, so quickly that a tornado of colours formed. But it wasn't enough, and all of a sudden, the untapped powers activated, to try and make up for the lack of power.

This wasn't a great thing in Trini's opinion. She could feel everyone being drained of his or her energy, as if it was her times a gazillion. She could feel worry and fear coming from a yellow person, slowly mounting until it was almost physical pain, and then….

It was more pain than Trini could bear.

The 'yellow person' was Ashley. The wind created by their power whipped her cries away, so no one could hear her. The tornado was taking her life energy in an attempt to move the planet. There still wasn't enough energy…

In the throne room, Andros felt his blood run cold. Ignoring the people behind him, he started running blindly, unknowingly taking the exact same path as the others had earlier.

When he found the ballroom, he barely even registered the tornado, despite the fact he would have a ringing in his ears the next day because of it. His instincts told him where to go, and he wrapped his arms around Ashley's waist, keeping her upright. No one was holding their hands up anymore, so Ashley didn't break the physical circuit as she gripped his arms with such ferocity that he felt her nails digging into his arms, and the quiet stinging that could only come from his skin being ripped.

Now there was enough power. Trini could feel the relief pouring off her teammates, and all the rangers there. However, there was another emotion in the air. She didn't know how to describe it. As far as she could tell, it was coming from something one person and two people at once. Logically, that made no sense. Emotionally, it did. The emotion felt like safety, peace… Love.

Then the moment was over, and everyone was teleported to either a guest suite, or a royal suite. It had drained all of their energy to an extent, and they were all near collapse, or in Ashley's case, already asleep. The tornado had had energy to spare after Andros's contribution, and the underground city had been restored to its former glory.

Madre had always been famous for it's underground capital, and now that the other cities had fallen into the sands that had replaced the beautiful mountains and lakes, it was once again the greatest city on Madre.

Justin shared a suite with Lee, while most of the other rangers shared a suite with their significant others. **(AN, I'm not going to say who was with who, because a few of my fave couples… aren't liked by the general fanfiction community. It's not slash; it's Katommy and a few others like Jason and Trini, ECT.)**

Cassie rested her head on TJ's shoulder, and they slept straight through the night. The same could be said for Emma and Rocky, Jeff and Aisha, Zhane and Sabrina…

And Ashley and Andros, who spent the night in the safety of the other's arms.

The next morning, Andros woke up to pain. He felt like he'd run ten miles in a hurricane, running against the wind. His ears were ringing, and his arms were wrapped around a distinctly feminine waist.

He opened his eyes in shock as that last thought crossed his mind. Ashley was sleeping peacefully, and was clothed in a purple nightgown decorated with yellow stars. Her hair wasn't blonde anymore; it was a light brown again, although the purple stripes remained.

He'd heard of something called secondary Mycenae that could cause that. Secondary Mycenae was when your body was put under extreme stress, and was forced to compensate by falling into a very deep sleep. For some reason, when this occurred in those with the physical side affects of Mycenae, the affected part of your body would change again.

He tried his hardest to think of a reason he was in a bedchamber with Ashley, or more precisely, why he was in a bed with the girl of his dreams.

The day before came rushing back with such a force he almost yelled in shock.

But it wasn't because of anything he had learnt before Ashley and the others had left, it was because of something he'd learnt after, when he had felt an urgent need to be near her, to protect her, to save her. When he had run after her, not questioning anything.

He and Ashley were _Amoroso. _Soul mates. True lovers.

He couldn't wait to tell her. ButAndros knew heneeded to wait for her to wake up first, then he had to apologise, and **then** he could tell her.


	23. Making a new plan

**AN- This chapter is dedicated to sakura-angel113, for posting review number 100, and Ashley Hammond Astro yellow, because I hope this will be up by the time she gets back from Ireland.**

**Fairy's will rule the world- Here's an update, and I'm glad you liked the chapter.**

**Sweetsas- You'll find out where I got it from in this chapter, and this plot is way off course from what I originally planned. Maybe I'll do a rewrite, going by the original storyline. After this is finished, naturally. It'd be fun to almost crash the megaship into the moon…**

**Sakura-angel113- Glad you liked it!**

**Phantom Rogue- That's one option, but I might not do that. Sorry it's been so long.**

**Ashley Hammond Astro Yellow- Thank you, I hope this is up by the time you get back from your trip. Besides that, I wonder what you would do if I updated the same chapter three times, like I used to at the beginning.**

**Rachel the loser- Sorry it wasn't soon, and I am so glad you like the story!**

Andros had been driven away from the room by hunger and the need for a shower. By some miracle, he'd found that the suite had it's own kitchen by mistake, so he had no need to go anywhere near the others. He felt a lot better, his ears had stopped ringing, and Ashley was still fast asleep. He knew that he should probably just leave her and find the others, but he didn't want to, and no matter how selfish it was, he would stay with her.

When he re-entered the bedroom, Ashley awake, and looking around in no small amount of confusion.

"Ashley." He called to her.

She spun around quickly, and almost tripped for some reason. Thankfully, she regained her balance.

"Andros? What's going on, where are we?" She asked, her eyes darting around the room.

"We're in a palace room as far as I can tell. You collapsed, and I just fell asleep. Ashley, we have to talk." He answered.

"Palace… room?" Ashley blinked. "What palace?"

Andros looked at his soul mate in surprise. "Madre palace."

Ashley sat down. "Why are we on Madre? Why are we wearing night stuff?"

Andros realised that she couldn't remember much of the day before, so he tried to change the subject.

"That's not really important right now. Ashley, I know this might come as a shock, but we're Amoroso." Andros told her, taking a deep breath to continue.

Ashley looked up at him. "That word… It sounds so familiar. It… it means something… in Spanish… but I can't remember." She said, closing her eyes to concentrate. "Why aren't we on the megaship?"

Andros began to panic. She clearly couldn't remember much of the past week, and as Ashlyn Starr, she had spoken fluent Spanish. If she didn't know what a word meant, something was very very wrong.

"Ashley, I need you to stand up, alright?" He said softly. "We need to get you to a doctor."

Ashley did as he asked without question, which only made him worry more. He practically ran to where he thought the rebels were, conveniently forgetting that he might be a wanted man for going after Ashley.

Andros held Ashley in his arms, bridal style, as he ran like a bat out of hell. He found the rebels within a few moments, and he ended up as confused as Ashley by the time he left them.

"ANDROS!" His father's voice came. "What are you doing with that, that creature?"

Everyone turned to stare at the red ranger carrying a young woman who was clearly scared by their presence.

Andros gulped. "Dad, she's my…"

"I don't care if she's your team mate, she is scum!" Jethro growled.

"And I don't care what you think." Andros shot back. "Just because she's a princess of Madre you hate her! It's cruel, and so wrong. Are all _Kerovans_ good? Like the Seers that Darkonda mentioned?"

Everyone in the room bristled when Andros said this, and he almost regretted it.

However, someone began pushing their way to the front of the crowd as a direct result of what he'd said, so he didn't really regret it.

"Star?" The person asked.

Andros looked up from Ashley's face, startled. The person was a woman, with pale skin and unnatural blue eyes. Ashley recognised her, but couldn't place her.

Andros had to answer. "Yes, this is Star. Something's wrong with her, do you know her? Or better yet, know anyone who can help her?"

The lady looked at Andros. "I am Dr Penda. I treated Star when she arrived at the hospital on KO-35 with Lee. Come with me, and I'll see what I can do."

As the majority of the rebels parted for them, Andros couldn't help but wonder if he'd have to protect Ashley from them later. He hoped not.

Penda led them to an alcove that was packed to the brim with high tech medical equipment rivalling the megaship's.

"Put her on the bed." Penda ordered. "And while the scanner works its magic, I'm going to ask you a few question, and if you can answer them, please do."

"Okay." Andros answered.

Penda pushed the bed into an extremely advanced version of Earth's MRI machine. As it whirred and scanned Ashley's body, Penda studied the readouts.

"Where did she go after she left KO-35?"

"I don't know, but I know she went back to Earth eventually."

"What part of earth?"

"Angel Grove, California, America."

"Uh huh. Has she been in contact with mainstream power?"

"What?"

"Madre's Power rangers took their energy from the gems, but the gems took their power from THE POWER before it redefined, and as a consequence, the gems don't know what most other morphers know, they have to be taught. It's like not being connected to the Universal Net, but having to teach others about it."

"So basically, any other power rangers?"

"Has she?"  
"Yes, she was the yellow turbo ranger and yellow astro ranger for a while."  
"For how long?"

"About six months as a turbo ranger, six months as an astro ranger."

"How long since she was last in contact with the yellow morpher?"

"She hasn't been a yellow ranger in just a bit less a week."

"How long since she was last in contact with the turbo morpher?"

Andros thought back. "How long since the other rangers appeared?"

"That was yesterday morning."

"She sleeps with it under her pillow, but there was nothing there when I checked this morning. Why are you asking me all these questions?"

"It will rule out certain things. Does she have an Amante?"  
Andros started. "Why do you ask?"

"Cause if she doesn't, she doesn't eat enough culeton."

"She is Amoroso, but she doesn't know what that is yet."

"Who's the guy?"

Andros hesitated. "Me."

Penda smiled. "Congratulations. How many times has she morphed in the past week?"

"Twice that I know of."

"When did she develop Secondary Mycenae?"

"Yesterday." Andros quickly outlined what happened, and the machine stopped whirring.

Penda smiled, and helped Ashley up. "I'll have to take a blood sample, but going by what I already know, she'll be back to normal in two days. The confusion will wear off slowly, but I'm afraid her powers may take up to a year to get back to the strength they were at."

Andros sighed in relief. "What was wrong?"

Penda looked at him. "It's very complicated, but I'll see if I can simplify it a bit."

She was quiet for a moment. "Ashley's powers are technological, and turned her mind into a filing cabinet. Everything she knew and was as Star was in one file, Ashley was in another and so on.

The emotional stress she's been under lately caused her powers to start reorganising in an attempt to console her. The tornado forced her powers to stop in the middle of this, and as a consequence, all the information is loose and unorganised. Her feelings and thoughts aren't buried in the back of the cabinet anymore, they're right at the front of her mind.

She's not used to this, and she'll need to adjust. She'll be forced to be herself, because she won't remember being anyone else. In three days max, the filing cabinet will be tidy again, and Ashley will be able to hide again, although after two days of being herself, I don't think she will."

Andros considered this. "Do you think that the others will let me passed?"

Penda shrugged. "One way to find out."

Andros gulped, and walked out of the alcove, praying to whatever decided their fate.

His father stood at the front of the crowd of the rebels. Andros decided that that was a bad thing.

It was. "Andros, we understand that you're scared of what she could do to you. Perhaps she has threatened you, or clouded your mind with a spell." Jethro began. "Whatever the case, we will give you one more chance. In light of your sister's defection, you are my only child. Please come home, to us."

Andros looked at his father. Really looked at him, for the first time. "Home is where the heart is." He said, cryptically. "Ashley owns my heart."

Ashley looked at him and smiled. She had understood that at least.

"SHE CAST A LOVE SPELL ON YOU?" His father bellowed.

Andros rolled his eyes. "We're Amoroso."

Ashley looked at Jethro. "And for the record, Karone and Eclipse are the magic girls."

"Not helping Ash." Andros chuckled. "Do you even know what Amoroso is?"

"Not a clue. Ask me when I'm normal again." Ashley said cheerfully.

He tightened his hold on her briefly, before looking up and facing his people. There were mixed reactions, a few of disgust and distrust, but a lot of normal surprise.

"Please let us past." He pleaded. "I used to think the same as my father, but I don't now. Ashley was the yellow ranger on my team for six months, and her cousin was the blue ranger. They're Madres, royalty in fact, but I didn't know until yesterday. I reacted badly, and lost all the respect and friendship that my team mates had for me.

I taught them that all species were equal, but then when it was someone from Madre, I would turn around and say, 'No, they're beneath us'."

He looked around, and saw less disgust in the faces of the rebels, but pure contempt in the faces of their leaders.

"Do you think that none of us has ever consorted with someone from this planet?" He asked, using everything he had in his arsenal. "Jena, mother of Zhane, daughter of Abbott, was a princess of Madre." He was about to continue, when Ashley put her finger on his lips.

He looked at her in surprise.

"Let me." She asked, softly. "I can do this."

He nodded, and helped her to stand.

"Jena was kind and true, and would have made an excellent ruler." Ashley announced, leaning on Andros's arm. "When our planet was betrayed by her brother, by my uncle, she was forced to run, much like everyone else on the planet. Yet not everyone escaped.

Jena had lost her father at a young age, and as Madre fell to Dark Spectre's forces, she lost her mother. Queen Bijin was murdered by Jena's fiancé, Hadrian. She knew that she had long ago lost her brothers, so she fled o the planet of her father's birth, KO-35. She fell in love with one of the most vocal against her people, yet did not argue with her heart. She believed that this was her punishment for failing to protect her planet, which she believed to be destroyed. Years passed, and Jena got married, and fell pregnant.

Two months before her the birth of her son, she had a vision. Jena had the ability to see parts of the future, both a blessing and a curse. This time, it was a curse to her. She foresaw her own death, and constructed a letter, begging her husband to raise him the way he would have been raised, to allow his powers to develop, and to teach him that ALL life is equal, even if it is from a planet that raise their children differently to your way.

As you can probably guess, Arden did not obey her last request. And you can also guess that Madre was moved, rather than destroyed. My father, Elvin, saved the planet. He activated the Madre gems, and they teleported the planet to a safe orbit. My father followed his brother Ignacio to evil, and later, to earth. He gave myself and two of the other original Rogue's gifts, that we hold dear to this day.

The doll he gave me is representative of the Rogue rangers, letting me know how many of the gems have found a bearer.

The toy arrow he gave Eclipse was spelled to become a real weapon, the Eclipse bow. Phantom's cutlass was also spelled.

There are more Rogue rangers now than ever before in history. Where before there was only Phantom, Eclipse and Star, there is now Astronema, Cat, Storm, and Shadow. We will assist the astro rangers in the final battle against evil, as was prophesised.

The question is, are you determined to disregard us for the actions of two princes and your own prejudices, or will you support us? All of us."

Ashley's voice had remained strong, and now she was able to stand on her own. "Know that whatever your answer is, you are welcome to stay."

Andros couldn't help but smile at the look on his father's face as, one by one, the rebels began to move to let them passed, except for two. Jethro and Arden. Even Tykwa and Kinwon stood to one side.

"Thank you." Ashley said.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Andros moved so his lips were near her ear.

"Was that true?" He hissed.

Ashley had to suppress a shudder. "Yes. TJ told me while I was in the machine."

"How?"

Ashley stopped moving, effectively stopping Andros as well.

She looked up at him. "The rogue morphers have some really cool extra features. However, you'll have to settle for a gem connected to your astro morpher, Blozend."

With that confusing statement, she leant up and kissed him.

By the end if the day, the astro megaship had been permanently merged with the Rogue Voyager, and TJ attempted to explain to everyone what had happened.

"Okay, as you probably know, Ashley, Lee and Jeff are Elvin's kids. Emma and I are Ignacio's. Afryea is Emma's mother." TJ explained. "We're the heirs to the throne of Madre, despite the fact our fathers turned evil."

"How'd they turn evil?" Tommy asked.

TJ looked at the air next to him, much to most people's confusion. "Apparently, the man Jena was engaged to was a spy. He convinced the princes to serve Dark Spectre."

"Who's Jena?" Asked Trini.

"Zhane's mother, and a princess of Madre." Ashley announced, proudly. "I look a lot like her, which is great, cause I don't wanna look like that Mara bitch."

Emma reached over and slapped her cousin lightly. "Hey cool it, she was dosed by delusion powder. She can't help it."  
Ashley rubbed her cheek. It didn't hurt; she just wanted to make a point. "She's still a bitch. And really really very thin. And she shot me, so I don't like her at all."

Emma rolled her eyes. Even when she was a kid, Ashley had used logic as opposed to feelings, but THAT was an attribute that probably wouldn't return until the next day.

"YOU WERE SHOT!" Half the room chorused, the other half being the Astro rangers, the rogue rangers and four of the original five.

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Why does everyone always make such a big deal about it?"

TJ interrupted Emma. "Mara is Ashley and Jeff's estranged mother, and their Grandmother Amber provided most of the money they have, although Jeff and Emma spend most of their wages paying her back."

"Why does she help Emma?" Kim asked.

Emma smiled. "Because she loves me as much as she would if I was her granddaughter. Besides, everyone else in the family's already stinking rich with even richer parents, we were the only one's that needed help."

"Everyone else?" Lee asked.

Ashley smiled at him. "Our family is full of over achievers. You'll love them. Jeff is gonna inherit the bulk of Angel Corps, and Emma's going to help out occasionally, especially at the Hifza Jahida Centre."

Everyone balked, so Ashley rolled her eyes. "My Grandma started Angel Corps, which is a chain of shops for mothers and children. The Hifza Jahida centre is named after two of her favourite grandchildren, and it's for children who don't speak English to learn, and to keep up with the rest of their education."

Emma squealed, which caused Rocky to look at her strangely. "That's so cool!"

Jeff smiled. "How do you know this Ashley?"

"I organised the fundraiser for it." Ashley smiled. "And Grandma was busy, so I had to do all the work."

Lee pulled at Ashley's sleeve. "What do you want to do when you grow up"

"I wanna help cousin Mercedes at Beautiful Bride." Ashley answered.

"How rich _is_ your family?" Kat asked in amazement.

Jeff answered. "Well, if you include NASADA, we're worth around fifty-nine point eight billion dollars. Without it, our entire family put together is worth fifty-nine point five billion."

Billy already knew this, so while everyone else went into a stunned silence, he asked Ashley why she wanted to help at Beautiful Bride.

"Because they make dresses for everyone! They have classic dresses in plus sizes, and maternity wedding dresses, and alternate dresses!" Ashley enthused. "I like the denim range, although the pagan/medieval stuff is awesome, and Mercedes designed the sweetest dress for when I eventually get married!"

Emma raised her eyebrows. "What did you do to try stop her?"

"I told her that unless she designed your wedding dress, I wouldn't let her design mine." Ashley smiled brightly.  
Emma blushed. "She is way too perky today." She grumbled.

Jeff nodded in agreement. "I never realised how quiet she was."

Three seconds later, they were on the floor, laughing hysterically, as Ashley stared at them in confusion.

TJ whistled to get their attention again. "Anyway, Jena ran to KO-35, where her father was born. Elvin and Ignacio went to Earth, to try and hide the fact they were guilty. Elvin never told Ignacio that Madre still existed, or that the gems had been set free.

They got married, had kids, Ignacio had many many affairs, one resulting in me. Elvin decided that he didn't want to be evil anymore and began making preparations to make the Rogue rangers a reality, and to leave the alliance of evil. Ignacio found out and had him killed while he was using his power. Elvin was then forced into a machine and renamed Ecliptor. He was programmed to forget all about earth.

Well, because of all of Ignacio's affairs, his wife ordered him to have a vasectomy, so he'd had to convince his brother to donate sperm for a project, a project for child weapons.

The three rogues, Ashley, Jeff and Emma were in Japan, and under superhero aliases saved 12-4-4, and the other children who were being experimented on. 12-4-4 turned out to be their half brother, and Ashley called him Lee. He was two years old at the time, so the experiments hadn't caused permanent damage. Soon after, they set off into space. Ashley raised Lee, while doing all the other things she already did, and Emma and Jeff fought evil and injustice.

Then, Jeff decided that they could return to earth. Ashley didn't want Lee to die due to a Madre specific disease, so they left him on a colony that was mainly made of Madre survivors and their hybrid children.

Ignacio had my parents killed when he found out I existed, but I escaped. The rest is a little complicated, so just assume you know everything about it and don't ask questions." TJ finished.

Ashley looked at TJ. "You left out lots of things. Like my hair."

TJ smiled. "Ashley, the only reason I didn't pass out when you told me everything was that _spiritually _I already knew some of it. We don't want their heads to explode, do we?"

Ashley shook her head vigorously.

"Any other news?" Jeff asked.

Lee put up his hand, like he would if he was a schoolboy. "Justin is gonna fight on the Terran front. I've decided that I'll be of most use on earth as well, so I'm staying with him and his dad near Angel Grove." He said. "If that's okay with you, sister?"

Ashley smiled maternally, and pushed a lock of hair behind his ear. "As long as you get a hair cut, you can stay with Justin and his dad. Behave yourself sweetie." She smiled at Justin as well. "You too kiddo. If I hear one complaint about either of you, I won't make ice cream for either of you ever again."

"I'll be good!" Lee yelled in panic. "And Justin will too!"

Everyone smiled.

Jeff turned serious. "You know, that's an angle I didn't think of."  
Emma nodded her agreement. The two were silent for several minutes, before looking up.

"Alright everybody, listen up and listen good." Jeff ordered. "The Astro rangers have done the best they can with the search for Zordon, but that hasn't been enough."

Several rangers from each team were about to protest, but Emma cut them off. "This is not due to lack of ability, they're spread too thin. Between searching for Zordon and protecting the earth, and having to keep up with normal lives, they can't do anything.

The Astro rangers, current and former, will resume the search for Zordon. Cat and Sabrina will accompany them. They will abandon their lives on earth until they have completed their mission. However, they will keep up with their schooling.

Lee and Justin will still have school, but most people here still have their morphers, and those who don't can be given from another team."

"But the Morphin'…" Tommy began, only to have Lee hit him over the head.

"Never interrupt the girl with the plan." Lee ordered.

Emma continued, smiling at her cousin. "The heirs of Madre can restore the power of the morphers with their gems.

I recommend that those in Angel Grove join the fight against Dark Spectre, at least until this battle is over.

Jeff and I will provide the accommodation for those who have no place to stay. Just because Sabrina renounced her past as Princess of Darkness doesn't mean that the battles will get easier, it'll just mean that they aren't as well thought out."

Tommy, still a bit miffed at what Lee had done, glared at the green and red rogue rangers. "Why should we do as you say? If anyone here should be giving orders, it's Jason or me. We're the senior rangers here."

TJ froze, while Ashley buried her head into Andros's shoulder. Jeff carefully stepped as far away from Emma as he could in four seconds, and Lee yelped and ran to Ashley, hiding behind her.

"WHAT!" Emma yelled.

Tommy repeated himself, a little less certainly.

"Tell me the names of the original rangers." Emma ordered. "NOW!"

"Jason, Billy, Kim, Trini and Zack." Tommy said. "I was green then white. I came a bit later than the others."

"So why did you say that you and Jason should be giving orders?"

"We were the original team leaders…"

"You Vokren!" Emma exploded. "A real leader knows when to listen. How long ago did you become a ranger, and how long for?"

"Four years ago, for three years." Tommy responded.

"And the other five had their morphers before that. So why did you say you two were senior rangers?"  
"I've been team leader longer than anyone else has, and Jason was the original red."

"COLOUR DOESN'T MATTER!" Emma screamed. "Jeff first morphed when he was thirteen, and remained an active ranger until he was eighteen. He and I protected the entire damn universe, fighting, learning, and growing. Who are you to say we are incompetent? Because that's what you just did."

Emma took in a deep breath. "You should do what we say because we know what we're doing. You should do what we say because we have considered every possibility. You should do what we say, because this is the best way to do things."

Tommy gulped, nervously. Luckily for him, Emma wanted to spend some time with her boyfriend.

"Anything else we need to discuss?" She asked.

Nobody said anything, so the meeting was adjourned.

"We return to our duties tomorrow. Today, we have to help the colonists adapt." TJ said.

"Colonists?" Cassie asked.

"The Madre survivors have returned. The spirit Darem just told me." He explained. "It's a big deal."

Ashley looked at the eldest rogues. "You two should go speak to them." She suggested. "I'm tired, and you two know most about the universe. At least where it concerns Madre."

They nodded, and everyone went their separate ways… Some, with their significant others.


	24. This is Love

**AN Okay, this took a little longer than I thought it would… I've gotten a lot of bad reviews lately, so I've decided not to reply to any reviews this time, and to block anonymous reviews. The ones I got on this story are pretty awful, but the people who flamed me went after ALL my stories, not just this one. I don't even think they read the first chapter. Once I've done all the stories I promised I would, I might be leaving forever, or at least until I've moved out and am living independently. My dad doesn't want me to get my feelings hurt because it makes other people feel big, especially not after my first year at secondary school. However, I should still be able to post on The Megaship, AH/AY's website, and I'd be able to read fanfiction at least… But I might be able to convince him otherwise.**

**Besides that, this is the last chapter before the end begins. In other words, the next two or three chapters will be the last. This chapter is kinda overly fluffy, but I need to get it out of the way. E-mail me if you want a picture of the dresses the girls wear!**

**JEFF AND AISHA**

Jeff walked over to Aisha and stood behind her. She was sitting at the vanity in their room, brushing her hair.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you, or are you just going to stand there?" Aisha enquired, passing him the brush.

As he freed her hair from the braids she'd put in for the 'rescue mission', he thought about that himself. It had occurred to him that, after college, he would still lead a double life. One as a king of Madre, one as the earth business tycoon his grandmother had trained him to be. Aisha didn't deserve to be dragged from place to place, she didn't deserve a boyfriend who could only be there for her occasionally, and she didn't deserve for him to put her through that.

"I think it's in our best interests to break up." He said, but continued to brush her hair.

Aisha frowned. She'd detected a slight waver in his voice; so slight that only with her newly gained super hearing she'd heard it.

"Explain." She ordered.

Jeff told her his reasoning, and had the nerve to be surprised when she stood up and slapped him.

"Jeff, if you don't think that this is working, just tell me." Aisha yelled at him. "I love you, you idiot! I just want to be with you, so don't make decisions that are for my benefit, because if they mean I'm not with you I'll be miserable!"

Jeff stared at her in shock. He'd had no idea that she loved him…

"I'm doing this because I love you." He told her. "I want you to be happy."

Aisha put her hands on the sides of his face. "You make me happy."

**EMMA AND ROCKY**

As Jeff left to go find Aisha, his face drawn, Emma sighed. She hoped that her cousin wasn't about to do something incredibly noble and stupid, but he probably was. Talking to the people they were responsible for had really brought it home for them that they had been living in denial ever since they had returned to earth. The injustice and the fighting hadn't gotten better while they were living in their own little bubble, it had gotten worse.

And although the younger generation of rangers was more than capable of restoring and ruling Madre until she and Jeff were able to return to their new home, they knew now that they would have to stay on Madre until the war was over, and until the earth born royals finished high school.

"Oh no." She groaned.

"What's the problem?" A familiar voice asked.

Emma smiled and whipped around to see the love of her life. She practically threw herself into his arms, making him chuckle.

"Jeff is going to do something stupid for some noble reason that he'll tell Aisha and no one else." She explained.

A dark look crossed Rocky's face for a brief moment. Aisha was like a sister to him, and he didn't want her to get hurt.

"You see, Jeff doesn't always think of his happiness as a factor in his decisions." Emma explained. "So he'll underestimate her feelings for him in order for it to hurt less, and break up with her. Or at least try to, I have the feeling Aisha won't make it that easy for him."

Rocky smirked. That was something Aisha would not do.

"Want to go somewhere?" Emma asked, pulling out of the embrace.

Rocky nodded, and the two began walking away, hand in hand.

As they entered the courtyard, both of them gasped. Despite the fact that they were underground, neither of them had ever seen such a beautiful scene. Water came from the surface, pure and clean, and fell in small waterfalls down the rocks, becoming streams that led into the pond in the middle of the courtyard.

The gates of the castle were made of the purest crystal imaginable, and looked as if they would shatter with a single touch, so thin and delicate looking were the bars. The walls were a shimmering material that just _screamed _magical to Emma, and that allowed both of them to see their reflections and the people on the other side of the walls. There were trees of almost every kind, and Emma was awed by both their beauty and the fact that she had no idea what some of them were.

Nanny Mcphee's voice startled them. "The pond goes right to the centre of the planet you know." She informed them.

Rocky looked at Emma in surprise as she snapped into the posture of an obedient child.

Nanny Mcphee noticed this and laughed. "Emma darling, I am no longer your nanny, and you are not a young girl anymore. I won't be teaching you anymore 'lessons'."

"That's a relief." Emma said, relaxing.

"I am here to tell you about this garden." Nanny Mcphee smiled. "It is where my bond sister, Bijin, married her first husband. It is known as the Ceremonial Courtyard, although it hasn't really been a courtyard since long before living memory. Ashley would say it is more of a back yard with a big patio than anything else."

She smiled at the two young adults in front of her. "The strange thing about this garden is that you wouldn't need to have an official priest for a wedding or something like that. The magic here would be the priest acting through a human, you would just need a declaration of love and a promise." She left the two, banging her stick for good measure. "Although, because of tradition, all female royals of Madre are priestesses of the planet." She called back.

Emma's dress glowed and changed into a green evening gown that flattered her every curve, and her hair was pulled into a messy-on-purpose bun. Rocky's clothes turned into a tuxedo, and two rings appeared on the edge of the birdbath between them.

Ashley stepped out from the shadows, her hand in Andros's. "So, is there gonna be a wedding today?" She asked.

Rocky looked at Emma in confusion. "I thought you said they didn't know we were engaged."

"She didn't tell us." Jeff explained, his arm around Aisha. "But we couldn't think of any other reason she would wear a ring around her neck, under her shirt. We saw it when she fell asleep on the couch."

After a moment's discussion, the couple agreed that there would be a wedding on that day. They'd like to give everyone else time to change though.

**CARLOS AND CATALINA**

"So you're an alien." Carlos stated from the doorway, fixing his tie.

Catalina turned around to glare at him, but realised he wasn't trying to insult her.

"Nope. I'm half alien like Ashley." She said, for the sake of conversation, slipping on a bracelet.

"So, since we're on Madre…" Carlos mused. "You're half alien, and I'm your average outsider?"

Catalina laughed at the logic. "You were offered a citizenship, and you're friends with the royal family. We both belong here."

Carlos shot her a look. "I belong on earth."

Catalina shook her head. "Earth is too repressed for you now that you know the freedom you're allowed here, and you'll need instruction with your power now that it has activated. Face it, once all this is over you'll be spending as much time here as anywhere else."

Carlos shrugged. "I don't even know what my power is yet."

Cat motioned for him to sit down, and when he did, she waved her gem at him.

"You have the power of Teleportation. You know what that means, don't you?"

Carlos nodded. "Cat, would you like do go somewhere when this is all over? On a date, with me?"

Cat nodded, blushing. "I'd like that."

Carlos smiled shyly. "Me too. See ya later."

He kissed her on the cheek and ran out the room as fast as possible.

**TJ AND CASSIE**

Cassie laughed as TJ tickled her mercilessly. They had been messing around after they had gotten ready, and that had turned into a game of tag, which then turned into this.

"TJ!" She gasped out between giggles. "I give in to your demands!"

TJ released her, grinning triumphantly. "Okay. Music!"

All of a sudden, music filled the room.

"Okay TJ, are you ready to dance?" Cassie challenged.

In response, TJ held out his hand. "I need to learn before Emma gets married!" He grinned. "Or at before Ashley does."

'Or before we do.' Cassie thought to herself. "Okay, and a one two three four, one two three four…" Cassie began.

ZHANE AND SABRINA 

"So, glad to be here?" Sabrina asked the silver ranger.

He sent a grin in her direction. "Yeah, this whole relative of the royal family thing comes with no responsibility, and a beautiful girl!"

Sabrina rolled her eyes. "Your tie's crooked, let me fix it."

Zhane's grin faltered slightly as she did so. He really liked her, and he had no idea what to do in a real relationship. He was more of a three-date-guy. Should he use his famous chat up lines with a girl he was half in love with, who happened to be his cousin's best friend and his best friend's little sister?

Sabrina brought him out of his thoughts with a kiss.

"Come on, we've got a wedding to go to."

Zhane smiled as she pulled him towards the garden. Maybe he should just stop worrying about it.

**THE WEDDING**

"Emma, daughter of Earth and jewel of Madre, do you love Rocky?" Ashley asked. She was wearing the traditional priestess dress of Madre, in purple. Andros couldn't take his eyes off of her. Everyone was there, at least, everyone who was a ranger. All of them were wearing their 'main' colour, and Rocky's tux was the darkest shade of blue possible.

"I do, with all my heart."

"Rocky, son of Earth and child of Zordon, do you love Emma?"

"I do, more than words can say."

"These rings have no true beginning and no true end, much like love. In accepting the ring from your partner, you acknowledge the binding of your destiny, and these rings will forever represent the eternal love you share. You may continue the ceremony on your own now." Ashley informed them, stepping back.

"Rocky, I love and respect you. You are my world, and I promise to love you and care for you always, whether we live forever in wealth or die tomorrow in poverty, whether we will stay ever youthful or fall prey to disease within the week, know that I will be your wife." Emma vowed, putting the ring on his finger.

"Emma, I love you with all my heart and soul. I promise to do so always, through war and peace, times of joy and times of strife, through our lives and the afterlife, through time, and I will always be your husband." Rocky pledged.

They looked at Ashley expectantly.

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, this isn't a part of the official Madre ceremony, but Rocky, you may _kiss the bride already_!"

**ASHLEY AND ANDROS**

Ashley smiled at Andros as he subtly led her to their room. He probably thought that she hadn't noticed, but where else could he be going? During the talks he'd been watching her anxiously, afraid that she would collapse, and he'd been even worse during the wedding, although he'd been staring at her for another reason then. It was sweet, and she appreciated it, but completely unnecessary.

But she didn't want to argue with him before she found out what Amoroso meant, so she decided to go along with it.

"Andros?" She said, as he led her through the door.

"Yeah?"

"Why are we back in our room?" Ashley asked innocently, watching in delight as his cheeks turned red.

"Well, I um, would you believe that I'm tired?" Andros asked, tiredly.

"Nope. But I'll go to bed if you want." Ashley giggled.

Andros smiled at his soul mate and kissed her lightly, but passionately, on the lips. Ashley pulled back, shocked by the feelings that had almost overwhelmed her.

"Ashley?" Andros asked, scared that he had done something wrong.

Ashley shook off the remainder of her shock. "I'm fine." She assured him, guiding him to the bedroom.

As they went through the door, Andros began to panic. What did she want?

"Don't I get a goodnight kiss?" Ashley teased him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Andros grinned in relief, and wrapped his own arms around her waist, pulling her close before kissing her.

As he pulled away, Ashley tightened her hold slightly to get his attention.

"I love you Andros." She said, reaching up to kiss him again. "Would you be a sweetheart and help me out of this dress?"


	25. The Storm is here

**AN Sorry it's late, and sorry it's so short!**

Slytherin-Angel44**- Glad you like it! Sorry again.**

Ghostwriter**- It's okay, I'm glad you still like it!**

DV2**- I wasn't going to stop writing, don't worry. I am so glad that I do have people who like the story!**

sakura-angel113**- Thanks, you're in good company.**

SweetSas**- Thanks!**

Phantom Rogue**- Glad you like it. And I think she'll remember in the next chapter. I appreciate your concern about the flamers, but I'll be okay. It just upset me a little.**

AH/AY**- Sorry about the wait. Did you like the dresses?**

Just Jill- **Okay, I'll do that from now on. Thanks.**

Cat sighed as she stared blankly at the seemingly never-ending stream of data that was running through the computer. Scanning duty was boring, but someone had to do it. She just didn't like the fact that that someone was her.

Sabrina walked in, holding a folder. She looked at her friend and couldn't help but laugh.

Cat glared at the pink rogue ranger. "I hope that you're going to explain what's so damn funny."

Sabrina choked back her laughter. "I think that I know what they mean."

Cat raised an eyebrow.

"When they say 'you look like you're in maths class. Cheer up, look alive'." Sabrina explained, referring to Cassie and Carlos's favourite saying.

Cat decided to go back to staring at the data.

Sabrina sighed and sat down next to the 'neko-jin', as Justin had called her. It had stuck, much to Cat's delight.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." Sabrina said, holding out the folder. "Trade jobs?"

"Depends on what your job is." Cat said, monotonously, not looking away from the data.

"Penda sent us Ashley's medical report." Sabrina said, waving said object in the air. "I have to translate it into something that resemble non medical English. You know, just tell Ashley what's important and what's not."

Cat nodded. "Trade. Now!"

Sabrina grinned as the other girl practically snatched the folder from her.

Ten minutes had passed when Sabrina let out a yell, causing Cat to fall off her chair.

"I am so stupid!" Sabrina exclaimed.

"I agree. Why are you stupid?" Cat said, standing.

Sabrina swatted at her friend. "I shouldn't be scanning for Zordon, I should be scanning for his guards!"

"And they are…" Catalina prompted.

"Ecliptor and Divatox."

Cat nodded. "The most competent warrior in the universe, and the most annoying; a perfect combination."

Sabrina giggled. "Where on Earth did you get that attitude?"

"Earth."

Sabrina ignored her in favour of scanning for the two guards. Cat went back to reading the report, after assuring the other rangers (as they ran in one by one, weapons drawn) that they weren't in immediate danger.

Another hour later, both girls let out a shriek.

"FOUND THEM!" Sabrina yelled.

"NO WAY!" Cat screamed.

Both girls looked at each other.

"Yours is more urgent. It's too late to do anything about mine." Cat said, sadly.

Sabrina gaped at her as she caught the meaning,

FLASHBACK

Cat blushed as Ashley walked past, and took a large sip of her drink.

"What's up with you?" Sabrina hissed, the second she was certain no one else would hear.

Cat looked nauseous for a second. "You don't want to know."

"I'm asking aren't I?" Sabrina said.

Cat decided that it wasn't worth the argument, so she forcefully pulled the other girl into the cargo bay.

"Hey, what gives?" Sabrina asked, watching as Cat shut and locked the door. "Kitty Cat?"

Cat didn't tell her off for using the hated nickname, so Sabrina knew that whatever was going on, was serious.

"Cat?" Sabrina asked, unsurely.

Cat glared at the ground. "You know how I told you that my powers are a bit more than just transforming? That my senses are much better than the average humans? Well, one of the things I can smell is umm… uhhh… tell you what, I'll just say it like that Shakespeare guy. Spirit. And believe me, I wish I couldn't."

Sabrina stared at the yellow clad neko-jin for a long moment, before letting out a whimper.

"Gross. You're telling me that Ashley smells of…. Eww."

END FLASHBACK

Sabrina shut her mouth as the soon to be parents ran in, with all the other rangers.

"Zordon is in the Sarenit City. It's on the seabed of Atlantis. But scanners indicate thousands of velocifighters. They're everywhere, and that makes me think that Dark Spectre is going to go ahead with his plan."

Zhane looked at his girlfriend fearfully. "And that is?"

"To conquer the universe." Sabrina said, grimly.


	26. Rogue POV

**AN Ow. This may be the shortest chapter I've ever written. But I'll try to update every day for a while, at least until I've finished the story.**

Silence followed Sabrina's words, before everyone slipped into 'ranger mode'.

"The True Rogues will go to Zordon." Ashley spoke. "Our gems are the only ones that may even have a chance against Dark Spectre."

"Astro Rangers, your services will be required there also. You will have to use the power up gems given to you. The remaining rangers will have to fend for earth, and I will send them the location of their own gems."

No one argued, not when Ashley had taken a back seat again, and Star was firmly in control again. Ashley had learnt how to slip on her old identities as easily as if they were gloves.

Andros and everyone else with an Astro morpher slipped on the gems, while Sabrina, as a True Rogue, AKA a Rogue ranger without a morpher of any other kind, called Jeff, Emma and Lee.

"Tell the others to prepare for war. It's the final battle of good and evil." She said, coldly.

"Certainly Astronema." Lee answered, morphing in front of the screen. "I trust that I will accompany my siblings and cousin?"

Sabrina nodded. "And myself and Cat. It is the dawn of a new era. Let's make it a good one."

Hours later, the RV came into view. Phantom and Eclipse waited inside, while Storm came out to assure them that they were, in fact, whom they said they were.

"Lets go." He said, sounding for all the world as if they were going to school.

As she was about to go into the RV, Ashley froze. She knew that there was a very good chance that they would die, and she wanted something…. A promise.

Turning on her heel, she stalked over to Andros and kissed him like there was no tomorrow. He held her close, and silently gave her what she wanted. Then, as suddenly as it had started, the kiss was broken, and Ashley walked onto the RV, slamming the button to close the hatch.

She looked at her lover and held his gaze until they were separated by a barrier of cold steel.

Closing her eyes against the tears that threatened to fall, Ashley walked to her seat.

Emma raised her eyebrows at the younger girl. "What was that about?"

"A vow." Ashley replied in a monotone. "If one of us dies in the battle, the other will remain true until we can be together again."

Emma nodded, and dropped her gaze to the ring on her hand. "I know how that feels. I was tempted to do the same…"

Ashley looked at her in curiosity.

"But we already promised. At the wedding." Emma finished, before snapping back to Eclipse.

"ETA, five minutes at current speed. Is everyone ready?" Cat asked.

Jeff looked around. "As ready as we'll ever be."

Lee looked at his family. "Guys? I just want you to know that I love you all, even if I act like all the mushiness grosses me out."

"We know." Ashley smiled.

They fell silent, and mentally prepared themselves for battle.


	27. Uncertain

**AN Hey, this chapter is slightly longer, but is way more abstract and unorganised. Sorry about the cliffhangers...**

Zhane felt his heart leap into his mouth as the love of his life, and the only family he had left flew to war. He wanted to run after them, and make sure that none of them were harmed in the battle. He knew that there was no way he could do that, but he still wanted to.

Turning to the now solemn Andros, he made one feeble attempt at a joke.

"So…." He began, smiling weakly. "Will there be wedding bells anytime soon?"

Andros smiled back, just as weakly. "We'll have this discussion later. Prepare for war."

"Does that mean yes?" Zhane joked, before abandoning his trademark grin for a neutral expression Ashley would have been proud of.

'I hope so Zhane.' Andros thought, before leading the others to the bridge.

Cassie glared at the hangar as they left. She had a horrible feeling about this battle. Lives would be lost all over the universe, but her feelings were screaming that one loss would be personal. One part of her hoped that it would be Ashley's father, Ecliptor, but the other part of her screamed that it wouldn't be. It would be someone good who willingly gave his or her life to the war. She hated her inability to read the messages more clearly, as she knew that she could only hear the future that couldn't be changed. She just wanted to know if her friends would survive the battle.

Carlos was calmer than the others. He knew that there was a good chance of death. He also knew that sheer determination, matched with the Power and the skills of those who held it, would see them through. Right now, it didn't matter who lived and died. What mattered was the greater good of the universe; they could mourn and let their feelings take over later, when the war was behind them.

Despite this, he hoped that none of the rangers he knew would fall today. The thought of Cat's beautiful face, her freckles standing out against pale, lifeless skin…

He shook himself out of his reverie. He couldn't afford to be distracted.

The rangers were silent as they took their seats. This was it, the final battle between good and evil, and they were two rangers short.

"I hope that you weren't planning on preceding without us." A male voice said.

"It would be unwise to do so." A female added.

The rangers whipped around, Astro blasters drawn.

They saw a woman in the yellow ranger uniform. She looked around twenty five, but for her silver hair. Her eyes were a stern blue, but with a slight twinkle. Her skin was unnaturally pale, close to white, and she wore her uniform confidently.

There was a man in the blue ranger uniform. He was tall, and had navy hair. His mahogany eyes seemed to glint red, and his skin was tanned. He looked older than the woman, but still under thirty.

"Don't you recognise us rangers?" The man asked, smiling. The woman smiled too, as the rangers shared a glance.

"I am Alf. Formerly known as Alpha six." The man spoke.

"And I am Deca. Formerly known as DECA, but you could have guessed that on your own." The woman spoke. "Ashley insisted upon giving us what we have always wanted."

"To fight alongside those we consider our charges and friends. To feel true emotions, and to be living creatures." Alf finished. "She guilt tripped us into it, saying that there was no time to find new rangers for the upcoming battle."

"We've wasted enough time. Let the countdown commence." Deca spoke, walking over to Ashley's old seat, just as Alf walked to TJ's place.

After checking their story, Andros flew them straight into the heart of the storm.

"We'll arrive shortly after the others." He reminded them. "We are to provide a distraction first, while destroying as many Velocifighters as possible. Then we break out the zords, and go to Zordon. And hope that the Rogues were successful in defeating Spectre."

"We should morph before we set off." Cassie reminded them.

"Right." Andros acknowledged. "Ready?"

Everyone nodded.

"Lets Rocket!" Andros yelled.


	28. On Earth

**Sorry it's late. I wanted to make this a decent length, and that was hard. I didn't manage it. I probably won't update for a while, I'm swamped with homework.**

The rangers were silent. Even the usually bubbly Kim was pensive and withdrawn. Aisha and Rocky were the most determined of the bunch, their hearts elsewhere.

Tommy cleared his throat. "I guess everyone knows the plan."

His girlfriend smiled weakly. "We have a plan?"

His ex girlfriend smirked. "Fight like demons. Keep earth standing until the others succeed."

Justin glanced down at his gem. "Lets stay focused guys. I don't want to let Ashley down."

Tommy raised his eyebrows at the second youngest ranger ever. "Why Ashley?"

"Why not?" Justin countered. "She's my friend. She's my best friends older sister. She's been an active ranger longer than anyone else I know."

Tommy nodded, as Rocky smirked. His wife had definitely deflated Tommy's ego, which had gotten a little too big after being hero worshipped by generations of rangers and civilians.

Aisha smiled at Rocky, guessing his train of thought. "Guys." She spoke.

Everyone looked at the yellow ninjette ranger.

Aisha sobered slightly and gazed into the distance. "I know that this is going to sound stupid, but I never imagined that something like this could happen."

"That doesn't sound stupid at all." Adam told her. "It sounds just like what I thought when Ashley asked me to be her foster brother."

Billy nodded. "Even when I was on Aquitar, I just assumed that this war would go on forever, and our own contribution to the battle would be forgotten through the ages. That new generation of warriors would materialize, and they would fight evils such as Rita and Zedd."

Kimberly nodded. "Totally."

Jason looked around, and clapped his hands. "Come on guys, quit reflecting. It's creeping me out a little bit."

"A little bit?" Tanya teased. "What else are we supposed to do, since we're freaking you out 'a little bit'?"

Everyone smiled slightly; then turned back to the sky.

"She's right." Zack said. "Man, I never thought I'd morph again. But here we are, about to fight a war."

Justin looked at the original black ranger. "That's what we've been doing the whole time. We just didn't think of it as a war."

Kat frowned at him. "Justin, when did you get so philosophical?"

Justin shrugged. "Spending a month with Lee will do that to you."

They fell silent, and waited for the sky to light up with fire.


	29. Battle

**AN I suck at battles, so forgive me. For the facts it's so short, there isn't even a mention of a couple, and it isn't very well written. And if you don't understand something, tell me what it is in your review, and I'll try my best to fix it.**

It had begun. The Rogue Voyager had landed on the ship that they suspected Zordon was on, and the Rogues knew that there was no turning back. The war would end with them, one way or another.

Jeff silently led the group through the maze of halls, avoiding piranathons with ease. It was getting harder though, and every footstep seemed to echo ominously, even when it made no sound at all.

Shockingly, Sabrina was the first one to be caught. All Lee really knew was that one second she had been right behind them, then there was a slight scraping noise, like a rusty weapon being drawn from its sheath. There was also a sudden draught of fishy smelling air.

Lee whipped around in fear as Sabrina fell to the ground seconds after her assailant. She had chopped off his head, and he had left a deep wound in her side. Her morph flickered, allowing him to see just how badly she was injured.

"Keep going." She smiled encouragingly as her morph flickered back into existence.

She stood against the wall shakily, weapon still drawn. It was known as the Magic Staff, and it was currently doubling as a walking stick. "I'll be fine."

This was such a blatant lie that Lee only nodded, forcing his tears back. He turned, and followed his cousins.

Emma was next. She had been blindsided from the left, and her right shoulder, under her morph, was burnt black. Ashley had shot the monster that had done this to her cousin, and it had apparently been a dead on shot, as he collapsed to the ground and exploded. Emma had managed to muster up enough energy to contain and silence the blast, but had collapsed herself seconds later.

Ashley had helped her to a vent in the wall, where she could hide if needed.

"Kick ass." Emma ordered, smiling weakly under her helmet.

Now, Lee, Jeff, Ashley and Cat were the only ones walking the halls. Although that may change soon, judging by the sounds of battle. Piranathons and Quantrons were swarming through the halls, and it was sheer determination and luck that kept them going.

Finally, they were in the centre of the ship, where they believed Zordon was imprisoned.

Ashley looked around carefully, before letting her powers search the area. Her eyes snapped open as she whipped around, Star Fan drawn.

She fired into the shadows, but a sword deflected the blasts. One hit her square in the chest, knocking her unconscious.

"Star!" Lee cried out. He drew his dirks, and wished with all his heart he had a weapon more suited to close range battles.

"Show yourself!" Lee yelled, powering up his dirks.

As Jeff continued to look around the room, three words made the brothers' blood froze in their veins.

"As you wish." A deep, grating voice said, mockingly.

Their father, no, Ecliptor, stepped out of the shadows.

Lee wished harder.

Jeff turned to the Cyborg, and noted the implants on his face.

'He didn't want to fight us. He didn't want to hurt Sabrina.' He realized. He forced himself to force down his emotions, and attacked Ecliptor like his life depended on it. Hell, it probably did.

Lee swallowed as he saw two swords, one made like a twisted hook that had been changed into a sword half way, one with a brilliant red sheen across its thin curved edge, clashed against each other at lightning speed.

Cat however, had no connection to the cyborg, so ignored that battle. "Lee, snap out of it!" She yelled, as she fought her own adversary, the Space Pirate Divatox. "Find Zordon, or help me defeat this witch!"

Divatox laughed and threw Cat to the ground. "You can not defeat me!" Divatox said, in a distinctly male voice.

Even Ecliptor turned to her in surprise. "Dark Spectre?" He asked.

Divatox tossed her head. "He is no more. There is only Spectral Diva, Ruler of all!"

Jeff gasped. "A complete merging union."

"I believe you are correct." Ecliptor spoke, before continuing his assault on Jeff, who had to gather his wits very quickly, and managed to slash Ecliptor across the chest.

"Papa, stop it!" He yelled. "Please Papa, remember who you are!"

"I am Ecliptor. Your lies will not deceive me." He stated, coldly.

"You called yourself Elvin Hammond when you came to earth as a refugee. You saved Madre from total destruction. You have three children, one of whom you've never met. You have a niece who you adore as much as you would if she was your daughter!" Jeff yelled in desperation.

"Your daughter is Ashley Jahida Hammond, you gave her a doll for Christmas. She called it Stripes! You named her Jahida because it meant 'one who helps the vulnerable'!" Jeff yelled, continuing to fight. "You gave me a toy sword, I'm your son. Jeffrey Zander Hammond. You named me. Jeffrey means 'gift of peace', and Zander means 'defender of all mankind'. You suggested Emma's name to mom and she told Afryea, and Afryea liked it! Emma means 'healer of the universe', and Hifza means 'protective angel'."

Jeff continued yelling. "Please papa, please remember!"

Ecliptor slashed him across the stomach, cutting through the morph, and leaving a deep gash.

Lee screamed, and flung his dirks at Ecliptor with all his might.

Each one hit its target, and Ecliptor was on the floor, his circuits sparking, before all the green in his body died out, letting Lee know that he was dead. He'd killed his father.

He fell to his knees in shock, forgetting about Spectral Diva and Cat behind him.

Cat wasn't lucky enough to have that luxury. Her strength was waning, and Spectral Diva was clearly triple the strength of Divatox and Dark Spectre combined. It was going to take a lot of energy to defeat him, or was it her? It.

"SOMEONE HELP!" Cat screamed, as she barely blocked a lava-covered sword. It was strong, and it could actually fight. Very well.

Lee snapped out of his daze, and whirled around to see the battle, just as Ashley opened her eyes and forced herself up from the ground.

Lee let his dirks return to him through the power of the gems, and then all hell broke loose.

Lee became the first ever weather-wizard to create a lightning storm indoors. Cat became the first ever shape-shifter to change the form she usually changed into. She changed into a Tigret, a creature that was found on Madre centuries ago. It had died out in the attack, but Cat had shifted into it without a thought.

The Tigret had been close to earth's tiger, but it was pure white, with black paws, and the only stripes it had were on its forehead. Those stripes had been the inspiration for the royal symbol.

Ashley managed to defy Penda and become the most powerful technologic ever, with the technopathic energy that had begun to grow before her accident now fully grown and active.

The rogue gems all over the universe activated. They glowed on the earth rangers' chests, shooting into the skies. They glowed on the astro rangers' waists as they dodged a particularly nasty missile, before shooting through the walls and towards the ship that the Rogues were on.

They glowed on the bodies of the ailing Rogue rangers, before shooting towards the Rogues still standing. The morphers of every ranger in the universe glowed, and sent a light towards the ship where Zordon was held.

The gems glowed on the morphers of the Rogue rangers still standing, as the powers of all the rangers in the universe concentrated in three.

"WE ARE THE POWERS'S HOLDERS. WE FIGHT FOR GOOD." A thousand voices spoke as one. "YOU FIGHT US. YOU SHALL NOT SUCCEED."

The morphs all over the Universe fell, but the rangers kept fighting the seemingly never-ending stream of foot soldiers.

Spectral Diva's eyes widened as it was destroyed with lightning, claws, and its own weapons.

Once it had fallen, multi coloured rays of light flung themselves out from the Power Centre of the Universe.

Light consumed everything in its path, reaching out to the darkest corners of the Universe. It reformed villains who had the potential to be good, and decimated those who did not. It revived and healed all those who had fallen in the battle.

It transported all the rangers in the Universe, their Zords, and their ships, to the centre of the Universe. Madre.


	30. Q and A

**AN Sorry it took so long you guys. I hope that you like it, because although it doesn't look like it, it was damn hard to write! I thought you might like to know that in Japanese, _Kurushiitokinokamidanomi _means 'god forgotten'. I know it's not really an appropriate name, but it's the longest word I've ever seen. I couldn't resist.**

The first thing she was aware of was that the pain was gone. Well, not quite. There was still the slightly painful weary feeling that followed a battle, but her injuries were healed. With this in mind, she opened her eyes.

She saw the ceiling of a cave. Forcing her stiff limbs to move, she sat up cautiously. Her team- mates, the other teams she knew, and thousands of others, were all in a cave: Madre's only surviving city to be exact.

Turning her head, she saw the love of her life was stirring. She knew that she was not the first up, and that others were awakening, but he was most important at the moment.

He opened his eyes. "Am I dead?" He asked smiling slightly.

She shook her head. "I don't think so."

He sat up. "Then why can I see an angel?"

She laughed and punched him in the arm, before allowing herself to be pulled into a kiss. She had no idea what was happening, but she was all right. As long as he was with her, she'd be fine.

They broke apart and went to stand with their team. After a brief discussion, Ashley walked to the front of the now fully awake and buzzing room, on a balcony. TJ would contact the spirits and find out what was going on, and tell Ashley through their gems.

"SILENCE!" Ashley screamed.

One thing that you should know, is that no one can drown out a princess's orders, especially when she's on her own turf. Every ranger there stopped talking immediately, while Ashley and everyone whom knew her as a teammate smirked. Even considering the fact she was a princess, Ashley had a 'strong set of lungs' as her grandmother had said when she was a young baby.

"Thank you." Ashley smiled. "As you all know, the battle of millennia is over. We won. I am Star, Rogue Ranger, also known as Ashley, Heir of Madre. Welcome to my capital city, _Kurushiitokinokamidanomi. _Kurushomi for short. Please, feel free to make yourselves at home until my family is able to make arrangements for you to return to your own planets."

Ashley was about to step down, when someone at the back shouted.

"What happened?"

Ashley grimaced and returned to her previous position. "Dark Spectre was killed. His forces fell seconds later, turned to dust. All the villains who had the potential to be good were redeemed. Divatox was one of them. As was my father, and…. My UNCLE?" Ashley gasped in shock. She shook herself. "And my uncle. Yeah." She said, embarrassed.

"What happened to Dark Spectre?" Another called.

Ashley considered this for a second. "He was stuck with lightning repeatedly, attacked by a very rare wildcat, and every electrical weapon he had malfunctioned and fired at him."

"This is no time for jokes." The ranger called again.

"That's the simpler version." Ashley said, blushing. "I didn't mention that he had merged with Divatox, did I?"

"No." Almost all of the rangers said. It was more than a little intimidating.

"Well he did. He was destroyed, and The Power destroyed his forces." Ashley explained. "It'd take far too long to explain everything that happened, so I won't even try. But know this." Her voice strengthened. "Evil is not gone. Those who wanted to take the universe for themselves are, but evil is not. It will grow back, in the hearts of normal people. Do not assume that it's over. The war is, but the true battle will never be. Maybe not in our lifetime, or our children's lifetime, but one day, the power will be needed once more. Do not cast aside your morphers; continue training and searching for those who can wield them."

There was a general murmur of agreement.

"What happened to Zordon?" Deca called, knowing that it needed to be asked, but that no one had the courage to do so.

TJ froze as the spirits told him what had happened. Or rather, what one spirit told him. He practically threw the information at Ashley, who gasped in shock. Everyone in the room who didn't know of their powers was becoming convinced that Ashley was mad.

"Forgive me, ladies and gentlemen. I myself am just receiving this information. It's as much a surprise to me as it is to you." Ashley said, forcing back sobs. "Zordon was near death when the battle started. He was very, very weak as it ended. He let himself die, because we had, for several centuries at least, stopped the war. He says that we shouldn't be angry with him, he's been alive far longer than he had ever wanted to live. The Power is safe, and it was time for him to move on."

"He wants us to know that when the time is right, a new guardian of The Power will be revealed. Zordon will be forever more at peace, and wants us to know that. His children were victorious, and if he didn't move on now, he'd never be able to. The time was right. To the children of earth, he leaves one last message."

Ashley couldn't help the sob that escaped her lips, but continued, ignoring the tears running down her cheeks. "I am sorry that I could not see you one last time rangers. Every one of you has gone above and beyond the call of duty many times, yet I am unable to thank you enough. The peace you have created for yourselves will have to serve that purpose. Be strong, and may The Power protect you, even though it's no longer needed. It will always be with you."

Tears were running down the faces of every one of the rangers who had met Zordon. Even those who hadn't met Zordon knew of the loss, and looked solemn.

One ranger however, was sceptical.

"So, Zordon of Eltar is dead? Impossible." She scoffed. "How do we know that this isn't just a trick? You did claim that we were on your kingdom of _Madre_, aplanet that was destroyed long before you were born. Besides, there were only two Rogue Rangers, Phantom and Eclipse."

The rangers began to agree with her, until there was a flash of green light, followed by red.

Two rangers appeared, fully morphed, on each side of Ashley. The second that they had been able to break free of their friends' grips, they had morphed and Emma had teleported them. After all, you mess with one Rogue you mess with them all, and it would probably be best not to overwhelm the other rangers with the entire team.

"You were saying?" Phantom said, in the same cold, detached voice he had used on Ashley, so long ago.

Ashley tossed her head. "Sorry, but someone had to man the ship and raise our little brother. I couldn't be at _every_ battle without endangering him." She said, in mock apology that sounded far too sincere for her to be accused of insulting anyone.

Emma smirked underneath her helmet. "Madre was saved by a conflicted prince, who never told anyone that it had been saved. Where else could we be?"

No one replied. The Rogue Rangers had been instant legends when they had first appeared, partly because of all the good they did, but mainly because no one knew anything about them except their names.

Still, legend bred rumours. One rumour was that, if you angered the only female green ranger in the Universe, Eclipse, you would end up a smoking smear on the ground.


	31. Pregnant!

**THE NEXT DAY**

Sabrina and Cat were sitting quietly, wondering about what was going to happen next. It had been decided that they would all go to the planets they had most relatives on, and help to rebuild. Cat, Ashley, Lee and Sabrina would stay on Madre, seeing as there was too much bad blood between them and various members of their families for them to return, or they had just decided that Madre was their only home.

Jeff and Emma were going to try reuniting the Hammond family, as much as they could.

Andros and Zhane would return to KO-35 and help the rebuilding process.

And everyone else was going home.

The earth rangers, with their new powers, would almost definitely return once Angel Grove recovered, if only to learn about their powers.

Still, Sabrina and Cat knew that Ashley would have to tell Andros about the pregnancy before he left. Therefore, they'd have to tell her a good while before then.

They had found out something interesting. Two of the most powerful females in the galaxy were completely chicken about doing this.

"So. We do it together." Sabrina gulped.

Cat nodded. "Then we ask her to sit down."

"We tell her what you smelt." Sabrina continued.

"Tell her about the medical report." Cat stated.

Sabrina fidgeted. "Tell her our suspicions."

"Apologise for not telling her sooner." Cat said, looking at the wall.

"Congratulate her and run like hell." They chorused.

They fell silent. "We are so screwed." Sabrina remarked. "So lets just go get it over with."

Cat stood up. "I like that plan. Simple, and easy to remember."

Sabrina smiled uneasily. "First things first. Kidnap her."

Cat tried to sit down again, but Sabrina grabbed her by the hand and pulled her out of the room, through the pirate themed corridors, stopping just after they passed a plastic skeleton on the wall, with a Royal Navy captain's hat.

She dragged Cat back to the skeleton. "Cat, take a good look at the nice man that the Rogue pirates killed. We'll look just like him this time tomorrow if we don't run really fast."

Cat looked at the skeleton. "It's plastic Sabrina."

"We won't be." Sabrina said, grimly.

They shuddered at the thought of Ashley's wrath. They were, after all, surrounded by technology while the planet was rebuilding. The weapons that the rebels had carried were still in Kurushomi. The materials being used as references to restore the planet to it's former glory, to plant things that once grew naturally, ect, all added up to death by technological sorceress.

Deca smiled at the two young girls as they marched past. "She's with Andros in the Chuuguu hallway seven. You can catch her if you run."

Alf walked over and gave them both a one armed hug. "Good luck."

Then the two former AI's ran away as fast as humanely possible before it occurred to the girls to ask them to tell Ashley she was, in fact, pregnant.

Smiling weakly at each other, Cat and Sabrina continued walking, searching the palace of the empress (the Chuuguu) until they heard Ashley's voice.

"I'll be fine Andros, don't worry. I don't want to go back to earth just yet anyway." She said, laughing.

"Ashley, I want to know…." Andros trailed off.

"Yes?" Ashley said, as the two sets of footsteps stopped. Cat and Sabrina shared a glance, and decided to wait a while before kidnapping Ashley.

"We promised each other everything. Before the battle, we promised to be forever true." Andros said, his voice shaking.

"Yes." Ashley said, her own voice wobbling slightly.

"I want to make it official." Andros said. "Ashley of earth, of Madre, of the rangers, will you marry me?"

Ashley swallowed back happy tears. "Yes." She said softly. "Yes! I will marry you!"

Sabrina grinned. 'I am so glad that he proposed before we told her.' She thought.

Cat smiled. 'Me too.'

They walked forward again, and around the corner, to see the newly engaged couple… otherwise engaged.

Sabrina cleared her throat, and the couple sprang apart in surprise.

"Hi." Cat said. "Andros, do you mind if we borrow Ashley for a minute?"

Andros blinked. "Shouldn't you ask her?"

Sabrina smirked. "We'll take that as a no."

They both grabbed one of Ashley's arms and pulled her into an empty room, shutting the door carefully.

Ashley looked annoyed. "What's going on?" She demanded.

"You might want to sit down." Cat advised.

Ashley complied, and Sabrina launched into an explanation.

"Cat smelt semen on you the day after the tornado thingy on Madre. Just before I figured out where Zordon was, Cat finished reading your medical report. The Power in your turbo morpher and what is now Deca's Astro morpher has healed your ovaries and womb. You should have received your first period two days after Penda examined you." Sabrina stated, her magic preparing to leave.

Cat continued. "Since sperm last three days, and you were definitely **active** around that time, you haven't gotten your period. You're pregnant. Sorry we didn't tell you sooner, we couldn't seem to find the right time. Congratulations on the baby or babies, and on your forthcoming marriage."

Both girls ran out of the room, shouting to Andros that Ashley wanted to talk to him.

Andros frowned at them worriedly, before entering the room they had just left. His fiancée was unconscious on the chair.


	32. Names

**Sorry that it's taken so long, only to be so... crap.**

When Ashley awoke, it was to see her fiancé's face hovering anxiously above her.

"Hey." She said to the father of her child.

Andros's face split into a wide grin. "Hey. Are you alright?"

Ashley decided to be blunt. "I'm pregnant."

Andros was gob smacked. "What?"

"With child, up the duff, preggers, bun in the oven…" Ashley listed. "Apparently I should have had my first period about a week ago."

Andros couldn't remember how to talk for several minutes.

"Andros?" Ashley asked uncertainly. "You'd better get going if you want to go to KO-35."

Andros found that his mouth could actually form words. "What? Ashley, I am not going to KO-35. I won't leave you alone while you're pregnant with our child."

Ashley rolled her eyes. She'd come to terms with her pregnancy while she was unconscious, and had come to a great many decisions.

"Andros, it's highly unlikely that I'll give birth before you get back." She pointed out. "You're only going to be gone for three months."

"I'm not leaving." Andros insisted.

Ashley stood up, and almost groaned out loud when Andros immediately moved to steady her when she wobbled slightly from sleepiness.

"Andros, you need to do this. If not for your people, for yourself." Ashley said softly. "I'll be fine, and Sabrina will make sure I look after myself. You've been fighting for KO-35 for so long, it's only right that you help rebuild it. That you see your people together again. You can tell everyone about the pregnancy, and I'll update you every time we speak on the comm."

Andros sighed. "There's no way I can win, is there?"

Ashley leant over and kissed him on the lips. "There's no way you can lose either. You **have **to do this Andros. We'll be fine."

Andros nodded in resignation. "I'll call as often as I can."

Ashley wrapped her arms around him. "You'd better."

With a sad smile, the two lovers parted ways there, in their room. Andros went towards the hangar, while Ashley walked to the garden. They both knew that if they could see the other, they wouldn't be able to stand leaving.

NINE MONTHS LATER

Ashley let out a scream of absolute, pure pain.

Andros flinched as he heard several of the bones in his hand crack. He couldn't feel the pain; his hand had gone numb about four hours ago from his wife's sudden contractions.

"One more push Princess Star." Penda encouraged. "Just one more, and then you get to hold your baby."

Ashley let out one final scream as she pushed with all her might.

She sagged back onto her pillows in relief as the cries of her newborn filled the air.

"It's a boy!" Penda exclaimed, showing Andros how to cut the Umbilical cord before handing wrapping up the baby boy in a red blanket. "Here you go!"

Ashley stared at him in awe as Andros cradled him in his arms. "He's so beautiful." She breathed, not taking her eyes off of her son.

Penda came back into the room. "So is this little one." She commented, handing Ashley his older sister.

Ashley's eyes turned to her daughter. "Hello." She whispered.

She looked up at Andros, her eyes sparkling. "We're parents!" She laughed, careful not to disturb their children.

Andros smiled at her. "I can't believe it either."

They both fell silent, until Penda left the room. It wasn't so much that they didn't want to talk to Penda, far from it, they were still in a state of happy shock and the door closing after her snapped them out of it.

"What should we call them?" Ashley asked.

Andros looked at the baby in his arms. "Bevan for him?"

Ashley nodded happily. "Our youthful warrior." She agreed. "How about Aoife for her? Or Saoirse?"

"Saoirse." Andros said immediately. "Or they'll grow up hearing about how we went through names alphabetically."

Ashley smirked, knowing it was true. "Freedom it is. Shame, I liked warrior princess."

"Freedom is just as good, if not better." Andros informed her, smiling.

"It's better." Ashley smiled back. "I should know."

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in." Ashley called softly.

Jeff walked in, smiling at them. The rest of their team-mates walked in after him. There was Emma, TJ, Lee, Justin, Catalina, Sabrina, Zhane, Carlos, Cassie, Deca and Alf. The others hadn't been able to make it, and they weren't as emotionally close to the happy couple as twelve. Rocky and Aisha were outside; they had decided that it was a family thing, and that twelve visitors was more than enough.

"Hey." Jeff grinned.

Ashley grinned back. "Hey. Meet Princess Saoirse and Prince Bevan of Madre."

Emma quirked an eyebrow. "What about their earth names?"

Andros blinked in confusion. "Earth names?"

"Long story short, their Madre names are related to their powers, and will be revealed up about six months before their powers start developing." Ashley explained. "Their earth names are basically like Ashley Jahida Hammond. You know, the name they're born with, a middle name and a family name."

"The names you use to tell them that you're either very, very proud of them, or very angry." Justin said, seriously. "Parent rule number 21, according to my dad." He added hurriedly, before anyone could think to make a joke about it.

Andros nodded in understanding. "Saoirse Kara Hammond." He said, determined.

"Why Kara?" Ashley asked, inquisitively.

Andros jerked his head at Justin, who laughed.

When he calmed down, the now teenage genius explained. "Kara is the earth name of Kara Zor-El, the best known Supergirl. Superman's cousin from Krypton. She was either the second or the third Supergirl, depending on whom you ask. She was a great character."

Andros nodded. "It's a real name Ashley. Spelt with a K, it means pure." He assured.

"I love it." Ashley grinned. "It's perfect." She mock frowned at Bevan. "Now for your middle name."

She fell silent, her eyes glowing yellow and purple. Finally, the brown colour returned. "Everybody, meet my son, Bevan Gawain Hammond." She announced. "And his older sister, Saoirse Kara Hammond. The _Koutaishi and_ the_ Koutaishihi_ of Madre!"


	33. Epilogue

**Just Jill- Sorry that I didn't make it clear.**

**Before that part of the story began, Ashley had already given birth. That's why I said that Saoirse was Bevan's older sister. They only had two children, Saoirse Kara Hammond and Bevan Gawaine Hammond. Aoife was just a name that they considered.**

**Saoirse is pronounced SEER sha, sometimes SAYR sha. Aoife is pronounced Eefa.**

**AH/AY- Glad you liked it. Sorry it wasn't soon… :-(**

**Phantom Rogue- Thankies! Soz that it wasn't soon, and what would be the point (beside adorable stripey babies) in making Ashley give birth if Andros didn't get his hand crushed?**

**GinaStar- Glad you liked it.**

**Slytherin-Angel44- Once again, sorry it wasn't soon. I'm glad you thought they were cute.**

**Sakura-angel113- Thanks :-D**

**Sorry it's short and kind of pathetic, but I think I'm all out of inspiration for this fic. This is the final chapter.**

Ashley smiled at her two sleeping children as night fell upon the palace. Although a few cities and several country houses were still to be rebuilt, almost the entire planet had been restored. Saoirse and Bevan were almost three years old, and the light of the castle. Their many cousins, no matter how distantly related, were as close to the two as if they were siblings. Even Carlos and Catalina's children, who were not at all related to them, were close.

How different everything was to that lonely night so long ago, when Ashley had lost herself in her memories. Since then, she had become an official princess and heir of Madre, as well as defeated one of the greatest evils of all time.

She had fallen in love with Andros, and they had discovered that they were soulmates. They had also discovered that Ashley was not infertile, as she had thought. That lesson was the biggest shock and joy that Ashley could have ever received. It had shocked her parents that the little girl they remembered from before they were enchanted/programmed was now a young woman with a fiancé and two children on the way. It saddened them that she wasn't able to stay in a room with them for long, due to old fear.

She had worked on it though, and although the Hammond family would never be as close as it was, they were gradually becoming the Hammond Family again, rather than a bunch of people who happened to be related. Other things had changed too, such as she now loved her hair, although she missed the contrast of the blonde hair to her skin. Due to a secondary bout of Mycenae, which had robbed her of her fertility for many years, her 'naturally' coloured hair had darkened from an average blonde to a light brown.

She was pleased that the purple stripes had remained, and that her son had inherited them, while her daughter had inherited Andros's own blonde and brown striped hair. TJ had joked about the reactions they'd get on earth, but he meant no harm. He and Cassie had a daughter already, called Aoife. They were expecting another child in the summer.

TJ had been shocked when he had come face to face with his biological father for the first time. The two corresponded regularly, although TJ had confided in Ashley that it was more for Ignacio's sake than his. Ignacio deserved to know his grandchildren, as he had lost his chance with his own children.

Cassie had learnt to develop her power to sense the future, and had known that she was going to go into labour about an hour before she did. She had confused the heck out of TJ when she had ordered him to get Penda, even though she hadn't even started contractions. Luckily he did as she asked, and Penda arrived just as Cassie's waters broke. It had been a quick labour, and little Aoife had entered the world in record time.

Andros was yet to reconcile with his own father, but he was a doting dad, and due to years of diplomatic experience, a great representative for Madre. He was the go-between for the Kerova system and Madre, an arrangement that suited everyone. He rarely had to leave Madre, he would just help both cultures understand and respect the other. Then, he would usually have to argue against teaching Saoirse and Bevan telekinesis when his father came on the line. The argument usually ended with "You've disappointed me Andros. You're leading them to wrong."

Andros had learnt to ignore him.

As for Zhane, he and Sabrina had just recently gotten married. They already had a son, and their daughter had been born three days after the wedding. Sean and Abigail were their names, much to Andros's amusement. He'd been expecting them to go all out with unusual names, like the ones they themselves had. Zhane had made a joke, saying that in their family, unusual names were normal, so his children were especially unique!

Catalina and Lee had shared a look, before bursting out laughing. When they both had calmed down, they told Zhane that it was very unusual to find someone with an 'unusual' name on the colony they had both lived in. Catalina was about as adventurous as it had got on the colony.

Carlos had wrapped an arm around his long time girl friend and made a joke about what they would name their kids. Catalina had declared that he would find out in seven months. Their son had been named by Justin, after another comic book. His name was Robin.

Lee and Justin remained firm friends, although Justin was a little uneasy about Lee's apparent immunity to violence and graphic material, and Lee was often intimidated by Justin's brains.

The other power rangers on earth had grown up, and they too had gotten engaged, married, a few had had kids. One had even gotten divorced (lesson for the day, don't ever get drunk in Vegas).

Earth had gradually adjusted to the fact that they were other planets out there, and the President of the United States had actually had the nerve to ask Madre if they had any thing worth trading, trying to play on their 'loyalty' to earth.

Emma had told him very politely but firmly that she would not allow her planet to become polluted and drained of all it's natural resources the way earth had. She did however know of alternative fuels that could be made from most rocks. They were hard to make admittedly, but it was better to million-year-old sand and water than fossil fuels. Especially at the rate that Global warming and Global dimming were occurring.

He had been gobsmacked, to say the least, and that had been the start of Emma's reputation as a tough negotiator, despite the fact that Ashley had been telling her what to say through the Rogue Gems. Rocky had been extremely proud of his wife and the mother of his three children. The triplets had surprised both of them. They were two boys and a girl who had been named Kaze, Tobihi, and the little princess, Heisui. Kaze meant wind in Japanese, Tobihi meant leaping flames, and** Heisui** meant calm water. It was now a standing joke that they needed a daughter, and they would have to name her Terra, or stand to something similar but in Japanese or Spanish.

So much had changed…. Ashley was now one person, instead of a body with many different personas in her head. Andros was a doting father and husband, carefree with his laugh and smile. Sabrina was a wonderful mother, and had proved to be a natural housewife, even by Madre standards. Luckily, woman could work on Madre, it was just discouraged until the children were old enough to go to school. Madre put a big value on family, and housewives were some of the most admired women around.

Zhane, still a joker, had changed his views on many things. He was happily married, and everyone knew that he'd rather shoot himself with the Super Silverizer than hurt Sabrina. Jeff and Aisha had gotten married, but their first child wasn't due until early winter. They were a wonderful couple, both on earth and Madre. There was no real need to hide their identities as rangers and royals, but they were both careful not to let their status interfere with their lives on earth. Jeff was now a partner in the family Company, and it was doing even better than ever!

Lee attended school on Madre with Justin, who had moved there with his father so he could get a grip on his new super brain. He'd been intelligent before, but now he was uncannily so. Scarily so.

Carlos had found a girl he loved, and who loved him back. The former soccer star was happy to be behind the scenes as head of security, while Catalina was head of the house. And the changes in Catalina Binx-Valaderte, the innocent yet scarred girl from Felix, were also evident. She was no longer afraid to absorb as much of another culture as she could, or to ask questions.

Adam, or Rana as he was now known affectionately, had a successful career as a policeman on earth. His wife, Tanya, was a doctor.

Alf had married a nice woman from KO-35, and kept in regular contact with all the rangers. Deca had met a nice man while travelling the Universe, seeing it through new eyes. They now had a child together, but we no longer a couple romantically. Young Melanite didn't care; they still loved her more than anything.

Yes, everything had changed. Although, unlike many stories, it was all for the better.


End file.
